THE WILD DUCK. 371 



some time discovered by a carpenter, who had been for three 

 or four days on the spot, repairing the boat. But, from 

 several other circumstances coming under our observation, 

 we have reason to believe that they often build at considerable 

 distances from the waters intended to be the permanent 

 nursery for their brood. About a mile above this very sheet 

 of water on which the boat was repairing, there is a hill 

 covered with heather, fern, and plantations ; and more than 

 once at early dawn, about four o'clock, in June, broods of 

 little dark Wild-Ducklings, just hatched, have been seen 

 trotting down the road, leading from the hill to the water ; 

 and once we were surprised, on a Summer's morning, at 

 seeing about a dozen of these active little nestlings running 

 before our door ; so rapid were their motions, that, notwith- 

 standing every exertion, they contrived to elude observation, 

 till they were tracked in the grass to a small pit about two 

 hundred yards off, in a meadow. 



They no doubt had been making for the mere, or larger 

 sheet of water, from the spot above mentioned, but had lost 

 their way. There is one species, however, which, in prefer- 

 ence to trees or flat ground, selects a very unaccountable 

 accommodation, namely, a rabbit-hole. This is the Shel- 

 drake, a bird by no means uncommon on many parts of 

 our coasts. She selects, if possible, a burrow near the water, 

 in which are laid sometimes sixteen eggs, which she care- 

 fully covers with the down of her body. The eggs may 

 also be easily reared under hens, and the young ones may 

 be kept in ponds. We have known several thus domes- 

 ticated; but although many other species of Wild-Duck, 

 under similar confinement, bred regularly, the Sheldrake 

 never was observed to take any steps in preparing a 

 nest. 



In a nobleman's menagerie, we have heard, however, that 

 they were induced to do so by simply burrowing holes about 

 three or four feet deep, like rabbit-holes, in the bank, a foot 

 or two above the water. The bird thus found her accus- 

 tomed accommodation, and lost no time in availing herself of 



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