THE SHIELLRAKE. 95 



at the mouth of the burrow, to which they are traced by 

 the impression of their feet upon the sand. The flesh of 

 the Shieldrake is not considered very good eating, being 

 coarse in flavour, and not particularly prepossessing in ap- 

 pearance. The note is a harsh, unpleasant whistle. 



This handsome bird is found on the sea-coasts of all the 

 northern and western countries of Europe, and is said to 

 be plentiful in Holland and France. The former country 

 supplies the greatest number by far of those exhibited 

 every winter in our markets and shops. It is also said to 

 be known in Trebizond and Japan. 



In the isles of- Orkney the inhabitants call the Shield- 

 rake " Sly Goose," from the exceedingly artful tricks it 

 resorts to when endeavouring to decoy intruders from the 

 vicinity of its nesting-place. Dr. Neill, in alluding to 

 this peculiarity, says, "it frequently feigns lameness, 

 and waddles away with one wing trailing on the ground, 

 thus inducing a pursuit of itself, till, judging its young to 

 be safe from discovery, it suddenly takes flight, and leaves 

 the outwitted Orcadian gaping with surprise/' 



The length of the Shieldrake varies from twenty-four 

 to twenty-six inches ; the female is somewhat smaller than 

 her mate, and her plumage is duller. 



In the male, the beak is vermilion ; the irides, brown ; 

 the whole of the head and upper part of the neck, green, 

 bounded by a collar of white, and below that a collar of 

 rich chestnut, which covers the upper part of the breast, 

 the space before the point of the wings, and the upper part 

 of the back ; the rest of the back, the rump, and upper 

 tail-coverts, black ; scapulars and part of the tertials, 

 nearly black ; the longer tertials have the outer webs of a 

 rich chestnut; the wing-coverts and point of the wing, 



