A THE WILD-DUCK. 197 



was not till after some time discovered by a car- 

 penter 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 con- 

 siderable 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 Sum- 

 mer's morning, at seeing about a dozen of these 

 active little nestlings running before our door ; so 

 rapid were their motions, that, notwithstanding 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 men- 

 tioned, but had lost ther way. There is one species, 

 however, which in preference to trees or flat ground, 

 selects a very unaccountable accommodation, namely, 

 a rabbit-hole. This is the . Sheldrake, 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 carefully 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 domesticated ; but al- 



