220 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



North Devon, and we know of several brcediiiir-stations on the north 

 coast of Somerset, between Minebead and Clcvedon. The Burrow 

 Duck, as it is generally called, is a very conspicuous object on the sands, 

 when the sun is shining on its handsome white and rich chestnut 

 plumage, and is one of the most wary of all Water-fowl to approach. 

 However, one rough afternoon when we were walking on Breaii Down, 

 near Weston-super-Mare, we came close on thirty or more of these 

 beautiful birds, sheltering on the leeward side of the Down, and as they 

 did not perceive our presence, had a good look at them before we con- 

 tinued our walk and left them undisturbed. One summer's afternoon we 

 were seated among the fern on a slojiing edge of the Down above the sea, 

 and after a time felt a curious pecking at our legs, and slightly shifting 

 our position in order to discover our assailant, in so doing afforded an 

 escape to a Burrow Duck sitting upon her eggs placed inside a wide- 

 mouthed rabbit-eiirth, and were considerably startled by the bird as she 

 flew out from under us towards the water. The Burrow Ducks feed very 

 early in the morning on the grass, clover, and young wheat-fiLlds 

 adjoining the cliffs, but directly the farm work-people make their appear- 

 ance they retire to the water. Being desirous of studying the habits of these 

 Ducks, we have left our home at 2 a.m. on fine mornings in May and June, 

 when we were residing at Weston-super-Mare, in order to walk to Wood- 

 spring Priory, a farm on the coast, some four miles to the east of that 

 watering-jilace, where, at that time, considerable numbers of these Ducks 

 nested. By careful stalking we have many times approached close to the 

 birds Avhcn feeding. Directly the young are hatched, the old birds carry 

 the little ducklings to the water in their bills ; and we have seen broods 

 only a day or two old swimminj; briskly along below the cliffs with the 

 two old birds in attendance. Koticing that the Ducks had a certain line 

 of Hight along the coast, and that they frequently passed to and fro over 

 a ])articular patch of furze, we one morning in the autumn took up our 

 station there, and succeeded in shooting several, but have never fired at a 

 Burrow Duck since, as those we attempted to eat were utterly unpalat- 

 able, although we tried them in various fashions. We have had no recent 

 information respecting the Burrow Ducks near Weston-super-Mare, and 

 are quite unable to say if they are still as numerous as they were a quarter 

 of a century ago : we fear not. 



At Plymouth the Sheldrake seldom occurs excepting during or after verv severe 

 ■weather (J. G.). It was unusually numerous in 1875, and Dee. 189U to .Tan. 1891, on 

 the south coast of the county. At Plymoutii a pair were shot Jan. 21st, 18o5, and one 

 Jan. lllth, 187U (B., MS. Notes). Three at Plymouth Market, Jan. 9th, 1.S7.3 ; two in 

 Dexonport Market, Feb. 13th, 187.5 ; some Nov. 1875 ; one Feb. Kith, 1877; another 

 Tsov. 5th, 1877; some November and December 1879; one 1883 (J. G., Zool. 187.5, 

 pp. 4373, 4448; 1876, p. 4784; 1877, p. 164; 1878, p. 54; 1880, p. 48; 1884, p. 56). 



8e\eral have been shot in Kiugsbridge estuary (R. P. N.). A very large male was 

 shot there at the end of LS75, and two others seen (E. A. S. E.). A fine adult male 

 was shcit near Kingsbridge in January 1891 (R. P. N.). A flock of about ten came 

 into the estuary before Christmas 1890, and most were shot (E. A. S.E.). 



One occurred at Teign mouth, Feb. 1855 (J. G., MS. Notes). An adult female at 

 Brixham, Feb. 15th, 1870 (Zool. 1870, p. 2098). 



