142 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [cuap. xvim. 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
Sheldrake: Nest; Food — Teal: Breeding-places; Anecdotes—Landrail ; 
Arrival of—Cuckoo—Nightjar: Habits of—Quail—Grebe: Arrival; 
Account of Nest and Young—Baldcoot— Water-Hen—Water-Rail. 
Besipes the birds mentioned in the last chapter there are several 
others which come here to breed, such as the sheldrake, the 
corncrake, the cuckoo, &c. 
I should certainly call the sheldrake the most beautiful bird 
of the duck tribe that visits this country. His clear black and 
white plumage, the beautiful bronze on the wing, and the bright 
red bill, give it a particularly gay and at the same time neat 
appearance. They arrive here in Marchor the end of February. 
They float in large flocks in the sheltered creeks and bays, swim- 
ming high in the water and making a great show. When the 
tide recedes, they take to the sands in search of their food, which 
consists of shell-fish, the sea-worms, &c. Their manner of 
catching the latter is curious. When the sheldrake perceives 
that he is above the hole of one of these insects, which he 
knows by the worm-casts similar to those of a common earth- 
worm, he begins patting the ground with his feet, dancing as it 
were over the hole. This motion on the sands generally brings 
the worm out of his abode. My tame sheldrakes, when they 
come to ask for food, pat the ground in an impatient and rapid 
manner, their natural instinct evidently suggesting this as the 
usual way of procuring food. ‘Though among the most wary of 
birds when wild, their sharp eye detecting the least movement, 
yet they become extremely fearless and bold when once domes- 
ticated, and certainly no bird is more ornamental. ‘They breed 
freely in a tame state, if allowed a certain degree of liberty, and 
I have no doubt would be quite as good eating as a common 
duck when fed on corn and clean food. In their wild state they 
have a rank fishy flavour put so would any duck that lived on 
the same food as they do. My tame birds eat anything, and 
