86 ANATID^E 



COMMON SHELD-DUCK. Tadorna cornuta (S. G. Gmelin). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, 'Birds of Great Britain,' vol. v, 

 pi. 11 ; Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol. vi, pi. 420 ; 

 Lilford, ' Coloured Figures,' vol. vii, pi. 32. 



The Sheld-Duck, in full nuptial plumage, is one of the 

 most handsome of our common Ducks. Its favourite re- 

 sorts are large tracts of mud-slob, ooze, or sand. 



During high tide, when the feeding-grounds are covered, 

 small parties of this Duck may be seen on our tidal estuaries, 

 in company with Wigeon and other species, but large gather- 

 ings are uncommon. 



On a hot sunny day in the month of September, I have 

 watched through a telescope several Sheld-Ducks, immature 

 and adult, standing on the sand, with their beaks resting 

 on their backs, the birds being apparently asleep. Even 

 then, they are on the alert, and can rarely be approached 

 within the range of gun-shot. Once, however, I managed 

 to get within twenty yards of a flock of fifteen birds. They 

 were at the edge of a grass-plot on the beach of Dublin 

 Bay, and were feeding on sand-hoppers, here plentiful. 

 Going on ' all fours ' through the short grass the only 

 available cover I succeeded in stalking them and securing 

 several specimens. 



The Sheld-Duck is indeed a wary bird. The cautious 

 way in which a flock will quietly walk away from a gunner 

 who attempts to come within two hundred yards on the 

 open strand, and the slow, regular, and measured flight, are 

 habits more characteristic of Wild Geese than of Ducks. 



To the unaided eye, Sheld-Ducks, even at a short dis- 

 tance, appear simply as black and white birds, and are often 

 mistaken by the inexperienced observer for Oyster-catchers. 

 It is only when seen close at hand, or through a powerful 

 field-glass, that the rich chestnut marking can be discerned. 

 The Sheld-Duck very seldom even attempts to dive, except 

 in the case of the young, when trying to escape capture. 

 I have also seen Sheld-Ducks, wounded by gunshot, making 

 frantic efforts to escape by repeatedly diving, while at tbe 

 sight of the Peregrine Falcon overhead these birds will 

 submerge themselves under water. 



This species is a tolerably plentiful British bird : I 

 have seen it in Dublin Bay 6very month in the year. It 

 seldom leaves the sea-coast. The flocks which occur in the 

 autumn and winter scatter in the spring, and the birds 



