The Sheld or Burrow-Duck 



( Tadorna cornuta ) S. G. Gmeun. 



MALE, FEMALE, WEST, AND EGGS. 



(JT^HE female of this handsome species is represented going to her nest in a 

 rabbit-burrow. The nest shown in section at the end of the sand-bank is 

 three feet from the entrance to the burrow, and is entirely composed of down 

 and feathers from the breast of the female. It contains seven cream-coloured 

 eggs, which cannot, unfortunately, be shown in the picture. The burrow is but a 

 little over 6 inches in diameter; the nest cavity being 16 inches in its widest part. 

 The original habitat has been carefully reproduced in every detail, e.g., length of 

 burrow, nest cavity, sand-bank, and the beautiful Marram Grass (Elymus arenarius) 

 peculiar to our sand-hills and coasts. 



Collected on the Warren at Talacre by kind permission, and presented by 

 Sir Pyers Mostyn. 



Many pairs of these birds breed annually in the above locality ; always 

 selecting a rabbit-burrow to nest in. 



