442 RED-CRESTED POCHARD. 



is not uncommon, and more than two centuries ago Willughby 

 obtained it in the marlcet at Rome, while it is also resident in Sicily 

 and Sardinia. It breeds in small numbers in Central and Southern 

 Germany ; more frequently along the valley of the r)anul)e, and 

 abundantly in some parts of South Russia ; while in winter it is 

 found throughout the basins of the Mediterranean, Black and 

 Caspian Seas. In Africa it nests in many of the lakes to the north 

 of the Sahara, though very rare in Egypt. In Asia its summer- 

 haunts are in Northern Persia, and Turkestan as far east as the 

 Lob-nor, but do not reach Siberia ; its winter-range extends to 

 Northern and Central India (where thousands are sometimes seen 

 on large sheets of wMter), and occasionally to China. A young 

 male was found in the New York market on February 2nd 1872. 



Mr. W. E. Clarke describes a nest found in the Camargue on 

 May 17th as placed in the centre of a dense mass of purslane, and 

 consisting of a broad rim of down, with a few short tamarisk twigs : 

 it contained 10 fresh eggs. These are clear pea-green in their colour 

 (which soon fades): measurements 2 "3 by i"6 in. The food — 

 obtained very largely by diving — consists of water-weeds, frogs, 

 small fish, insects &c. ; the flesh of this bird is generally held in 

 high estimation. The call-note, seldom heard by day, is a deep 

 grating hirr^ but occasionally the male utters a sort of whistle. 



The adult male in spring has the beak crimson, with a paler nail ; 

 irides reddish ; crown and erectile crest golden-bay, rest of head 

 and upper neck vinaceous-chestnut ; throat, lower neck, breast 

 and belly brown-black ; flanks white, with a tinge of salmon-pink ; 

 mantle yellowish-brown ; lesser coverts and a band across the 

 secondaries white, with a greyish border to the inner secondaries ; 

 primaries brown at the tip, and whitish above ; tail-feathers ash- 

 brown ; legs and toes vermilion-red ; webs blackish. In less mature 

 birds the soft parts are duller in colour. Length 22 in. ; wing 

 io'5 in. The female has no crest, and the top of the head is dark 

 brown ; the cheeks and throat are greyish-white ; the upper and 

 under parts pale rufous to greyish-brown ; the point of the shoulder 

 and the wing-patch dull white ; the beak and legs dull red. Young 

 drakes at first resemble the females, but the crest and the red colour 

 of the bill soon become apparent. 



This species is the type of the genus Netta, Kaup, which differs 

 from Fiiligula in having 16 tail-feathers in place of 14, a longer bill, 

 and some other points. Like the rest of the group of Diving 

 Ducks, it has a broadly lobed hind-toe. In adopting Netta I have 

 followed Count Salvadori, Dr. AV. T. Blanford and others. 



