THE SHELDRAKE, 
39 
resource, to grasp the invader in the beak, and hurl themselves 
and the foe into the sea. Once among the waves, the Puffin is 
in its natural element, for it is an admirable swimmer and 
practised diver, being able to catch the swift-finned fishes and 
bear them home to its nest. The foe, therefore, must either 
remain on dry land or lose the victory, if not its life, for there 
are few enemies for which the Puffin is not more than a match 
when in the water. 
There are many other birds which pass a semi-burrowing life, 
making their nests in hollows already excavated, and eithei 
using them without adaptation or altering them very slightly for 
the purpose of depositing their eggs and rearing their young. 
The Jackdaw, for example (Corvus monedulo ) , is frequently one 
of the semi-burro wers, making its nest within deserted rabbit 
burrows, when it can find no more congenial locality. The 
Stockdove ( Columba anas) is frequently found in similar situa- 
tions, placing its rude platform of sticks within the burrow : 
and the common Sheldrake ( Tailor na Vulpanser) possesses 
the same habit. 
The nest of the last-mentioned bird is always placed close to 
the water, so that the young may be fed with marine Crustacea. 
The female is accustomed to cover the eggs with down plucked 
from her own breast. Rabbit warrens upon sea-edged cliffs, are 
favourite resorts of the Sheldrake. In default, however, of 
rabbit burrows, the Sheldrake is well content with any mode- 
rately deep holes in the shore, and therein lays her enormous 
deposit of eggs, which are from ten to fifteen in number, and of 
a white colour. Burrows thus tenanted may be found in many 
situations, especially on the banks of estuaries, localities which 
are always sheltered, and almost always produce an abundant 
supply of food for the bird and its young brood. 
We often find burro wers where we least expect them. 
Who would think, on inspecting a specimen of the well- 
known Stormy Petrel ( Thalassidroma pelagica), that it was 
able to dig into the ground, and form the burrow in which it 
