Tllli SHELD-DUCKS. 
261 
burrow to a depth of four or five feet, while the distance has 
ako been known to extend to as many as twelve feet from the 
entrance, and in these cases the burrows are said to be exca- 
vated bv the birds themselves. Mr. Robert Read states that 
the Sheld-Duck nests most commonly in burrows amongst 
the sand-hills by the seaside, but in Scotland he has found the 
nest in a rabbit-burrow amongst a group of trees near a fresh- 
water loch. ^Vhen breeding in the sand-hills, the nest usually 
consists simply of the down of the parent-bird, but when near 
trees and herbage, there are generally a good many leaves 
mixed with the down. 
Mr. W. E. de Winton observes that in South Wales the local 
names for this species are “ Perrdnet” and “ St. George’s Duck ” 
(in Scotland, “ Stockenet”), and he tells me that he has known 
them to nest on precipitous cliffs, in burrows at such a height 
that it is difficult to imagine how the young ones could be got 
down to the water ; generally, however, the nest has been in 
rabbit-holes in the sand-dunes by the sea, covered with long 
sword-t^rass. There is seldom any track to the nest, into which 
the fenuale appears to dive in full flight. When watching them, 
he has known the two birds to suddenly appear over a sand- 
hill and then fly round and round together for some time, but 
on takin" his eye off them for a moment, it has often happened 
that only^thc male is seen afterwards, the female having suddenly 
dived into the nest like an arrow. 
The food of the Sheld-Duck consists of worms, small 
molluscs, and water-insects, as well as various aquatic plants, 
and also, it is said, of seaweeds. In many of their ways they 
resemble Geese, while Mr. Seebohm describes the flight as 
“performed by slow and laboured beats of the wings, very un- 
like the rapid motion of smaller Ducks, and much more re- 
sembling that of the Swan.” The same writer says that the 
call-note, which is common to both sexes, is a harsh quack. 
During the pairing-season, the male utters a clear rapidly- 
repeated whistle or trill ; and when the young are hatched, his 
anxious alarm-note to his mate on the approach of danger 
may constantly be heard, and resembles the syllables kor-kor, 
uttered in a deep tone. In confinement Lord Lilford says that 
he has never heard any noise produced by the birds beyond a 
