314 DUCK GROUP 



bottom ; apparently this occupation takes place to a great extent 

 at night, when these birds arc active, but it is also practised during 

 the day. When at rest, they generally float quietly on the water, 

 rather than take up their station on dry land ; and when thus floating 

 have the body somewhat deeply sunk in the water, and the neck 

 drawn back. When once fairly on the wing they fly strongly and 

 well with a peculiar and unmistakable rustling sound ; but they 

 have considerable difficulty in getting under way, especially in calm 

 weather. At diving they have few superiors ; and when on the move, 

 but not feeding, they frequently amuse themselves by chasing one 

 another on and below the surface of the water. The call-note is a low 

 harsh sound which has been compared to the syllable " kurrr When 

 killed on inland waters, the flesh is excellent for the table — as good 

 indeed as that of pintail. The nest is a rather large structure of dried 

 grass and sedge, lined with down, and placed amid rushes or other 

 water-plants. In May or early June it contains a clutch of greenish 

 or greenish-buff eggs, normally numbering from seven to half-a-scorc, 

 but occasionally reaching as many as thirteen ; the length of each 

 varying between half a point on either side of 2^ inches. The down 

 amid which the eggs are laid is brown, with a large dull white central 

 star and greyish-brown tips to each filament or plume. 



White-eved ^'^^ white-eyed pochard is a bird which suffers 

 Pochard (Nyroea '^'"'^^ci' <^ multiplicity 'of names, both vernacular 



feppuffinea) ^^^'^ scientific. It is known, for instance, in 

 English as the white-eyed duck, or ferruginous 

 duck, while among its Latin designations are Fuligida nyroea, Fuligula 

 ferniginea, Nyroea 7iyroea, and Aytliya (or yEthyia) nyroea, although 

 these by no means exhaust the list of its titles. To ignore them is 

 impossible, as one is favoured b)' one writer and a second by the 

 next. The drake may always be recognised by the absence of a crest, 

 the speckling (as distinct from barring) of the back and scapular 

 region, and the dull chestnut head and neck ; while the duck may be 

 identified by the absence of white on the face, the presence of a white 

 wing-bar, and the rufous brown of the head and neck. 



We may, however, make another brief diagnosis, which in the 

 case of the drake will run as follows : — The eye is white, there is a 

 white wing-bar with a black border, the head, neck, and the upper 

 portion of the breast are chestnut or bright bay, the front of the throat 

 has a triangular white spot, the back and wings are dark brown with 

 lighter specklings, the wing-quills shot with green, the flanks chestnut 



