112 INDIAN DUCKs. 



country. As n rule, it selects as a site t'oi- it- nest some deserted Imrrow, 

 it matters little to Avliat it belongs, or did belong, and places its nest at the 

 bottom. It has Ijeen said to live in amity with rabbits, and even badgers, 

 and to have taken to Inirrows ex-tenanted Ity foxes, the smell alone of which 

 ■would lune made most ducks require >al volatile in the nest. 



Where there are no burrows available, they will place their nest at the 

 bottom of some natural hole or crevice in the shore or amongst the rocks, 



Thev make a good substantial foundation for their nest of grass, reeds, 

 sticks, or aiiv other -iniilar material, and tlu-ii make a luxuriant liei] out of 

 their own down, in which their eggs are deposited. In Holland, tin- down 

 and the eggs form articles of no little commercial value, and special 

 arrangements are made to accommodate the birds and induce them to give 

 their patronage to certain >[»ot-. The Sheldrake is fortunately fond of 

 companv when undergoing the worries of a family, or the prejniration 

 for it. The iJutch therefore select a suitable spot, for choice the natural 

 breeding-] tlace of the duck, and construct neat burrows, slanting at the 

 right angle ami wide and deep enough to jilease tlie bird, yet not dee]> 

 enough to Ijalk their own desires. Left to itself the bird would as soon 

 build in a 14-foot a- in a 4-foot burrow, but it would be impossible to 

 tackle many of the former ami yet make money out of the collecting of the 

 eggs and down, -o the artificial bun-ows are made of the latter dejith. 

 As soon a- the eggs are laid the nests are rifled, and the down and eggs 

 taken away, whereupon the ducks once more reline their nests, not so well 

 or thoroughly, of course, as they did their first, and lay a second clutch of 

 eggs, which thev are allowed to hatch and rear in peace. 



^STornicillv they are said to lay from <S to 10 eggs, but should the first 

 cUueli be taken, they lay another, and in this way the number may reach 

 as much or more than 30. 



Hume >ay- : — " The egif< vary a great deal in shape, some are Acrv 

 round, some oidy moderately liroad o\al-. In texture the shell i< verv 

 close and smooth, very like that of the Xukhta^- egg. In colour they vary 

 from nearly pure white to a pale cream-colour, sometimes showing the 

 greenish tinge of the Mallard's cffif. 



'• In length they vary from 2'4.'> to 'I'l') inches and in breadth from 

 I'To to 1"'J5. 



" The young are hatched in from 2>> to 30 days, and are immediately leij 

 to the sea by the old ones." 



Morris (• British Birds and their Eggs,' iii. }». 7o) writes : — '• Tbe Qg^> 

 are ten or twelve or even more, it is said thirteen or fourteen or even 



