The Common Sheld-Duck. i°3 



by John Ray, the naturalist, in 1674, entitled — "A collection of English words not 

 generally used." "Sheld" is there rendered as flecked or parti- coloured ; so in 

 Snflfolk, to the present day, a tortoise-shell cat is a " sheld-cat." I am aware that 

 the same animal, on much the same principle, in Lancashire, is called a "calamanco" 

 cat, a term originally applied to a parti-coloured woollen stufif, checkered in the 

 warp, at one time produced on Lancashire looms. 



Unlike other Ducks, the Sheld-Duck places its nest and eggs at the bottom 

 of a hole, generally that of a rabbit, or an old fox or badger earth. I have 

 heard of several instances of their nesting on the ground in thick furze, or in 

 heather. The nest, when in a hole, is placed at various distances, and some- 

 times quite ten or twelve feet from the entrance. It is made of dead grasses, 

 and many feathers from the bird's body, all mixed together, and the eggs are buried 

 in grey (almost white) down ; these are ten to twelve, large in size, when we com- 

 pare them with those of a Swan ; they are round, and very smooth, and pure 

 white ; incubation, according to Mr. Selby, is thirty days ; as soon as they are 

 hatched the mother conducts them to the sea or nearest water, and from that 

 time they keep to the sea or foreshore ; never coming to land above high- water 

 mark, but in sheltered places, where the tide recedes to a distance. 



The position of the burrow selected by the parent is not easily discovered, 

 for on her return to the nest, after flying low down backwards and forwards over 

 the bents, she dashes on the wing suddenly in, without leaving the print of her 

 foot on the outside. I remember once seeing a nest of the Sheld-Duck's, which 

 was placed between the joints of a large straw stack, left standing in a field, near 

 the Lincolnshire coast. As a rule these Ducks do not nest far from the coast, 

 although I know of about a dozen pair annually nesting on certain warrens thirt}'' 

 miles from the sea, and in close propinquity to a natural sheet of water, strictly 

 protected. Both the parents are very attentive to their young on leaving 

 the nest. In the " Migration Report," 1880, p. 29, the reporter, a most intelligent 

 man, on the Teesmouth 5, Buoy L.V., says: — "May 25th, 11-30 a.m.; saw two 

 Sheldrakes leave their nest with ten young ones at low water time ; they had to 

 travel half a mile before they reached the water; the male kept about six yards 

 behind the young ; the female leading ; they were fifteen minutes in reaching the 

 water; appeared just hatched; cock bird often looked behind to see nobody was 

 coming." 



As far as my own observation goes, on the Lincolnshire coast, the Sheld-Duck 

 appears to live exclusively on various mollusca and crustaceans ; the stomach is 

 remarkable for its very thick and strong muscular coat, capable of digesting any 

 tough morsel. In the stomach of one I found some sand and many small shells 



