Anseres 149 



both in coloration and habits. It is true that they have 

 many points in common, which we need not repeat in 

 each group, but these groups shew almost as many 

 differences between them as separate the Ducks from 

 the Geese and Swans. In the first place the flight of 

 all the species, when fully on the wing, is much the 

 same, though it may be stronger or weaker ; the birds 

 keep more or less in the shape of the letter V, or when 

 coming to rest at night circle round and finally drop 

 down on the water with sudden decision ; in the 

 second place the voice is not always a mere quack, as 

 in the tame Duck, and the food, nest and eggs shew 

 considerable variation. The males of nearly all the 

 Ducks have an " eclipse plumage," that is, they become 

 like the females in summer, while the birds lose all their 

 quills at once and become temporarily flightless. 



SUBFAMILY Anatinae, OR FRESH-WATER DUCKS 



In the opinion of many our handsomest duck is the 

 big Sheldrake or Bargander (Tadorna tadorna), which 

 only leaves the coast when driven by storms, except 

 so far as it moves up our tidal rivers towards winter, 

 or occasionally breeds inland near some large lake, such 

 as Loch Leven in Fifeshire. Locally it is found round 

 the whole of the kingdom, haunting sandy shores and 

 links, where it nests in rabbit-holes and lays nearly 

 a dozen beautiful creamy white eggs on a bed of white 

 down pulled from the duck's breast. Exceptionally 

 the bird breeds in drain-pipes, in holes in masonry, or 

 in gorse-coverts. The food consists mainly of mollusks, 

 crustaceans, and insects ; the note of the male is shrill 

 and of a barking rather than of a quacking nature, 

 that of the female less piercing. This species ranges 



