MUTE SWAN COMMON SHELD-DUCK. 83 



MUTE SWAN (Cygnus olor). 



Resident, and common on some of our rivers, lakes, and 

 sheets of water in a more or less domesticated state. 



Plumage. White. Bill reddish orange ; nail and basal 

 tubercle black. Legs black. Length 60 in. Female smaller, 

 and tubercle less developed. Young (cygnet), greyish brown 

 above, paler below. Bill and legs lead-coloured. 



Language. Loud, and like a trumpet. 



Habits. Resembling the other Swans. 



Food. Aquatic plants and insects and grain. 



Nest. April or May. One brood. 



Site. On a small island or secluded part of a river or lake- 

 bank. 



Materials. Reeds and water-plants piled together into a 

 bulky mass. 



Eggs. Three to six. Dull greenish white. 



COMMON SHELD-DUCK (Tadorna cornuta). 



Resident ; as a breeding species very local and nowhere 

 common. Found on the east coast, in Wales, some of the 

 southern counties, in Scotland and Ireland. 



Haunts. Sandy sea-coasts. 



Observation. In appearance this Duck seems like a link 

 between the Geese and Ducks proper. 



Plumage. Bill and knob at base of same bright red. Head 

 and upper part of neck dark green, next a pure white collar, 

 then a band of chestnut. Wings white, except' part of the 

 secondaries and primaries, which is black; speculum green; 

 scapulars black. Rump, upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers 

 white, ihe latter tipped with black ; under parts white, except 

 breast and belly, which are brown. Legs and feet pink. 

 Length 26 in. Female, minus the knob at the base of bill, and 

 colouring not so bright. Young : head and neck blackish ; 

 wings and under parts white ; bill flesh-pink ; legs and feet 

 lead-colour. 



Language. A harsh cry or quack ; in the breeding season 

 the male utters a whistling note. 



Habits. It walks fairly well, and without the familiar 

 waddle. In flight it somewhat resembles the Geese, rapid and 

 direct, with neck outstretched. 



Food. Mollusca and Crustacea chiefly, also various marine 

 insects. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site. In an old rabbit-hole, but often in a burrow excavated 

 in a sand-dune by the bird, sometimes as much as six or eight 

 feet in (hence Burrow Duck). 



