lo Allen's naturalist's library. 



chest, as well as the sides of the body, rufous mottled with 

 dusky bases to the feathers; breast and abdomen white, mottled 

 with dusky on the lower part of the latter. Total length, 14-0 

 inches; culmen, 1*5; wing, 67 ; tail, 1-9; tarsus, I'l. 



Young Birds. — Count Salvadori states that in immature birds 

 the head and neck is brown, with scarcely any chestnut tinge 

 on the side of the head, the breast and under-parts are brown, 

 the abdomen paler and almost whitish, the under tail-coverts 

 being dull whitish. The iris is said by Dr. Scully to be dark 

 brown or brownish-grey. 



Hybrids. — Crosses between this species and the Scaup, the 

 Tufted Scaup, and the Summer Duck, have been recorded. 



Characters. — This species is distinguished by its white iris, 

 white speculum, and chestnut head. The male has also a 

 white chin-spot. 



Range in Great Britain. — An irregular visitor, generally occur- 

 ring in the winter and spring. Over thirty examples have been 

 recorded, principally from the eastern counties, but it has also 

 been met with in Cumberland, Northumberland, Dorset, Devon, 

 Radnorshire, and has thrice been obtained near Edinburgh, 

 and has occurred four times on the east and north-east coasts of 

 Ireland. 



Range outside the British Islands. — The White-eyed Pochard, 

 or "Ferruginous Duck," as it is often called, is an inhabitant 

 of Southern and Central Europe, and breeds from Holland 

 through Germany to the latitude of Moscow. It also breeds 

 in Central Asia and in Cashmere, visiting the Indian Peninsula 

 and Burma in winter, at which season it also extends through 

 Egypt to Abyssinia, and is found as far west as the Canaries. 



Habits. — These are said by Lord Lilford to be like those of 

 the Common Pochard, but its flight is more swift than that of 

 the latter species. He observes : — " It is remarkably tame and 

 fearless of man in comparison with others of the A7iatidce, and 

 loves the thick coverts of dense aquatic vegetation. The call- 

 note is a harsh rattling monosyllable, frequently repeated. The 

 flesh of this bird is, in my opinion, excellent." 



Mr. Hume says that these Ducks rise from the water with 

 some little difficulty, and strike it repeatedly with their feet as 



