32 INDIAN SPOETING BIBDS 



one partner from migration to the northern breeding-grounds, 

 I may, in conclusion, cite the case of an unpinioned male of this 

 species I had, which remained in the museum tank for at least 

 two summers along with a pinioned pair ; indeed, I never even 

 saw him fly, and ultimately I caught him when he was in moult 

 and gave him away to go to Europe along with the pinioned 

 birds. Of course he and not the pinioned drake might have 

 been mated to the female, but even if he were not, he evidently 

 did not like to leave his companions, and his constancy rather 

 tends to show that flocks of the species never passed over daring 

 his stay with me, or he might have been tempted to do so. 



Tufted Pochard. 



* Nyroca fuligida. Ahlac, Hindustani. 



The tufted pochard drake is conspicuous among all our 

 water-fowl, not so much by his long thin drooping crest, which 

 is only noticeable close at hand, but by his striking magpie 

 coloration, black in front and behind and white in the middle ; 

 the back, indeed, is black as well as the breast, but the broad 

 white flanks are what catch the eye as the bird swims. The 

 female is dark brown with a much shorter crest, and seldom 

 shows any white above the water-line. 



On the wing both sexes show as small dark ducks with 

 nearly white wings, and at a distance may be easily confused 

 with the white-eye, but differ somewhat m habits and choice of 

 location. Young birds of the year are dull light brown, very like 

 young white-eyes, but may be distinguished, if the crest and 

 the characteristic yellow eye of this species has not developed, 

 by the much shorter and broader beak, especially wide at the 

 tip. 



Although a small duck, the tufted is bigger than the white- 

 eyed pochard, being broader built and averaging about half a 

 pound heavier. In spite of this, however, it is the most active 

 flyer of all the common pochards, getting sharply off the water 



* Fuligida cristata on plate. 



