i68 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



eyed Pochard has a very extensive distribution, breeding 

 throughout Europe from the Mediterranean northwards 

 to Holland, the southern shores of the Baltic, Moscow, 

 Kazan, and Ekaterinburg. South of the Mediterranean 

 it breeds in North Africa from Morocco to Tunis, whilst 

 eastwards it does so in Asia Minor, Armenia, Northern 

 Persia, Turkestan, Cashmere, and probably through 

 Mongolia, Manchooria, and the Amoor districts. It is 

 not known to breed anywhere in Siberia, although it was 

 seen by Finsch in the valley of the Obb as far north as 

 the Arctic circle. 



Breeding habits : In the warmer portions of its dis- 

 tribution the White-eyed Pochard is sedentary, but in 

 colder areas it is a bird of regular passage, reaching its 

 breeding grounds in March and April, or early in May. 

 The breeding season of this Duck varies a good deal 

 according to locality. In Germany and the valley of 

 the Danube it lays in May ; in Spain towards the end of 

 April ; in Algeria not before June, which is also the date 

 for Cashmere. The principal breeding haunts of this 

 Pochard are slow-running rivers, ponds, broads, and 

 lakes, especially such as contain islands, and where the 

 banks are swampy and covered with a luxuriant growth 

 of rushes, tall grass, shrubs, and other aquatic vegetation. 

 The nest is generally made among the reeds and rushes 

 on the banks of the pool, either on the land or on float- 

 ing masses of rotten fallen vegetation or drifting weed. 

 Sometimes it is made on a tuft or hassock of sedge 

 or rush ; whilst Taczanowski records it being carefully 

 concealed in a bush several feet from the ground. It is 

 made of dry rushes, sedge, and other vegetable refuse, 

 the finer materials being used for the interior, which is 

 again lined with down and a few feathers plucked from 

 the body of the female. Of the pairing habits of this 

 Duck nothing appears to be known. It is a close sitter, 



