The SHELDRAKES (Vulpanser) differ from the above birds in the formation of their beak, the comparative shortness of their wings and legs, and in the coloration of their plumage. In this group the upper mandible is broadest towards its extremity, and in the male exhibits an excrescence at its base, which swells considerably during the breeding season, and afterwards almost entirely disappears.
THE COMMON SHELDRAKE.
The COMMON SHELDRAKE (Vulpanser tadorna) is a beautiful bird, with head and neck of dark glossy green. The shoulders exhibit two large black spots; a patch on the breast, the centre of the back, the wing-covers, side of the body and upper portion of the tail are pure white. The centre of the breast and belly are greyish black; a broad band on the neck, and some of the upper secondaries are of a bright reddish brown. The lower tail-covers are yellowish; the quills blackish grey, and the wings decorated with a metallic green patch. The eye is dark rust-red, the beak carmine-red, and foot flesh-brown. This species is two feet long, and three feet and a half broad; the wing measures fourteen inches, and the tail four inches and a half. The female is similarly but less beautifully coloured. In young birds the nape is grey, the upper part of the back and under side are yellowish grey; there is also no band upon their breasts. The range of the Sheldrake extends north to about the middle of Sweden, and south as far as North Africa, where they are to be met with on every lake during the winter, and make their appearance in countless multitudes. They are likewise numerous upon the coasts of China and Japan, as well as upon the great lakes of Siberia and Central Asia; nevertheless, they decidedly prefer salt water to fresh, and are always most abundant upon the sea itself, or upon salt-water lakes. In Great Britain these birds are indigenous, and breed upon every part of the coast. Even in extensive collections of water-fowl, where various species of Ducks are seen in close proximity to each other, the Sheldrakes are conspicuously beautiful; but when seen swimming on the sea or crowding the surface of some large lake, the eye is enchanted with the variety and elegance of their movements. In Africa they add an unspeakable charm to the lake scenery, the brilliancy and liveliness of their colours rendering them prominent objects at a very considerable distance. Even upon the islands near Schleswig, Jutland, and Denmark, where they are almost household birds, they invariably call forth the admiration of the beholder. In their general[Pg 147] habits they bear some resemblance to the Brahminy Ducks before described; their gait, however, is somewhat heavier, and they swim with greater facility. In their voices there is no resemblance whatever between the two species. The call-note of the female is a loud "Quack," and that of the male a deep "Koer," while during the pairing season they give utterance to a peculiar whistle. Their food is preferably vegetable, consisting of the tender parts of seaweeds and other plants which abound in salt water; they will likewise eat grass, and when in confinement occasionally devour small fishes, molluscs, and small crustaceans; neither do they altogether refuse flesh. These birds seek their food less by swimming than by wading. As the tide recedes they may be seen running like shore-birds just at the margin of the water, and carefully examining the contents of every little pool. During the morning they visit the fields, in order to hunt for insects and grubs, as well as for vegetable matter; they sometimes for a like purpose resort to marshes and swampy places. The Common Sheldrakes construct their nests only in holes or burrows excavated in the earth. "Whoever has been much in the vicinity of the sea-coast," says Bodinus, "will probably have observed with surprise that a pair or two of these birds, seen at the distance of half a mile or so, in some open spot, suddenly disappear in a most unaccountable manner, and on visiting the place will find that they have taken refuge underground, in some hole formed by a fox, badger, or rabbit; nay, more, that they have positively taken up their abode in this strange locality even while its formidable four-footed occupant is actually in possession of the premises. It is now an undeniable fact, established by the concurrent testimony of numerous observers, that the Sheldrake and the fox not unfrequently dwell in the same hole, and that the latter, who spares no other bird, does not molest or injure its adventurous lodger." We have certainly not been able to verify this statement by personal observations, and have moreover found on one occasion the wings and feathers of a Sheldrake lying close to a hole inhabited by a fox; but there was nothing to show that the fox had been the murderer, even under circumstances so suspicious, seeing that the spot was in the vicinity of a wood much frequented by Hawks and other birds of prey. Were we asked why the bloodthirsty quadruped should thus spare the poor Duck, we should confidently reply that it was on account of the extraordinary courage of the bird. We have ourselves seen a young Sheldrake, not many days old, defend itself valorously against animals of large size, such as fowls, small dogs, and rabbits. Instead of running away, it showed a bold front, holding its neck outstretched, angrily repelling every attack, and never seeming to think of retreating until its assailant had retired. The old birds, more especially during the breeding season, are equally courageous; the male stands bravely forward, and confronts his opponent with loud hisses, until, daunted by his angry, threatening demeanour, the enemy sneaks away. Having put his adversary to flight, he returns to his mate, who stands up nobly to assist her spouse, and both give utterance to their mutual congratulations over the victory in loud screams and frequent caresses.
The following particulars concerning the breeding of these birds, by the forester Grömelbein, will be read with interest. Towards the end of May, Grömelbein, while busily employed in a wood at some distance from the coast, observed a pair of Sheldrakes that flew around his party several times in succession, and as often flew towards and alighted on a hill of sand at some little distance, where the male always stationed himself as if to keep watch, while the female leisurely entered a hole, in which she remained about a quarter of an hour. When she again came to the surface she approached her mate, and after apparently holding a consultation they both took a circular flight into some neighbouring fields, where they alighted on spots quite remote from each other, evidently for the purpose of misleading anyone who might be watching their movements. On observing this manœuvre, Grömelbein hastened to the hill, and there found the hole of a fox, at the entrance of which were numerous footmarks of the fox and of the Ducks, together with recent[Pg 148] excreta from both. After watching the birds, however, for some days, it was discovered that, with the view of deceiving the men, they had only made a pretence of having their nest in the hole above mentioned, and that their real residence was another much larger excavation, in the joint occupation of a bitch-fox and a badger. This second hole being carefully watched, it was seen that the badger was in the habit of walking in and out of his abode, which was subsequently found to be ten feet deep, without troubling himself at all about his feathered visitors, whose footmarks were traceable to a depth of seven feet. There were, however, other holes belonging to the same den, through which the fox was also in the habit of passing. The ground before these entrances was trampled smooth by the feet of the Ducks, and as clearly impressed with the footmarks of the fox. On perceiving this, Grömelbein concealed himself behind a wall in such a manner as to be able to watch all their proceedings, nor had he long to wait before he saw the sly Sheldrakes paying their accustomed visit to the labourers and the sand-hill above mentioned; after which, flying close to the ground, they came to the real nesting-place, when, after carefully looking around them, they walked into the fox-hole as quietly and unconsciously as Ducks in a farmyard would go to their roosting-place. There they remained about half an hour, when they again made their appearance, climbed hastily to the top of the hill beneath which the den was situated, and finding, as they thought, the coast clear, flew off to the meadows.
In the Island of Sylt and others off the coast of Schleswig, the inhabitants construct artificial burrows, covered with movable lids, near which at the proper season they place quantities of broom and moss, so that the coming birds may find everything ready. These consequently take up their abode in the prepared burrows without the slightest scruple, and that sometimes quite close to the houses of their owners; nay, they at length become so familiarised with their keepers that they may be said to be in a state of semi-domestication. In these burrows the females, if not disturbed, will lay from seven to twelve large, smooth, white, thin-shelled eggs; but if the eggs are gradually taken from the nest, as they are at Sylt, the females will go on laying till they have laid twenty or thirty. When the mother bird begins to sit, she carefully surrounds her eggs with down, and when she leaves her nest covers them with the same warm material. After the lapse of about twenty-six days, the young make their appearance, and soon follow their mother to the neighbouring moors, generally stopping, however, to have a swim in a pond of fresh water that is found on the road thither. To the inhabitants of Sylt and other islands in the North Sea, it appears, therefore, that the Sheldrakes are objects of considerable attention. The eggs serve as important additions to their table; and the down from their nests, scarcely inferior to that of the Eider, is extremely valuable. The flesh of these birds is not much esteemed, having a rancid or oily taste and a disagreeable smell; they are therefore never killed, but, on the contrary, are protected by the inhabitants of the islands they frequent.
The TREE DUCKS (Dendrocygna) form a group having a high slender body, moderately long neck, delicately-shaped head, and weak bill; the legs are long, the wings blunt, with the third and fourth quills longer than the rest; the tail is rounded at its extremity, and the plumage variegated.
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THE WIDOW DUCK.
