THE WILD DUCK. 
371 
some time discovered by a carpenter, who bad been for three 
or four days on the spot, repairing the boat. But, from 
several other circumstances coming under our observation, 
we have reason to believe that they often build at considerable 
distances from the waters intended to be the permanent 
nursery for their brood. About a mile above this very sheet 
of water on which the boat was repairing, there is a hill 
covered with heather, fern, and plantations ; and more than 
once at early dawn, about four o’clock, in June, broods of 
little dark Wild -Ducklings, just hatched, have been seen 
trotting down the road, leading from the hill to the water ; 
and once we were surprised, on a Summer’s morning, at 
seeing about a dozen of these active little nestlings running 
before our door ; so rapid were their motions, that, notwith- 
standing every exertion, they contrived to elude observation, 
till they were tracked in the grass to a small pit about two 
hundred yards off, in a meadow. 
They no doubt had been making for the mere, or larger 
sheet of water, from the spot above mentioned, but had lost 
their way. There is one species, however, which, in prefer- 
ence to trees or flat ground, selects a very unaccountable 
accommodation, namely, a rabbit-hole. This is the Shel- 
drake, — a bird by no means uncommon on many parts of 
our coasts. She selects, if possible, a burrow near the water, 
in which are laid sometimes sixteen eggs, which she care- 
fully covers with the down of her body. The eggs may 
also be easily reared under hens, and the young ones may 
be kept in ponds. We have known several thus domes- 
ticated; but although many other species of Wild-Duck, 
under similar confinement, bred regularly, the Sheldrake 
never was observed to take any steps in preparing a 
nest. 
In a nobleman’s menagerie, we have heard, however, that 
they were induced to do so by simply burrowing holes about 
three or four feet deep, like rabbit-holes, in the bank, a foot 
or two above the water. The bird thus found her accus- 
tomed accommodation, and lost no time in availing herself of 
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