NYROCA FERINA 259 



(39) NYROCA FERINA. 

 THE POCHARD OR DUN-BIRD. 



Anas ferina, L., S. Xat. x. ed. i, p. 1'2G (1758) (Sweden). 



Aythya ferina, Jerdon, li. of I. iii, p. 812 ; Hume, S. F. i, p. 26i ; 



Adams, ibid. p. 409; ibid, ii, p. 3-41; Butler, ibid, iv, p. 30; v, 



p. 234 : Ball, ibid, vii, p. 232. 



Puligula ferina, Davids. <£ Wend. S. F. vii, p. 93 ; Hume, ibid. p. 496 ; 

 /'/. Cat. No. 968; Hume (f: Marsh. Game-B. iii, p. 347; Legge, B. of 

 C. p. 1090; Butler, .S. F. ix, p. 438; Beid, ibid, x, p. 84; Davids, 

 ihid. p. 326 ; Taylor, ibid. p. 531 ; Barnes, B. of Bom. p. 412 ; Hume, 

 S. F. xi, p. 346. 



Nyroca ferina, Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 335 ; Blanford, Acifaima 

 B. I. iv, p. 458 ; Oates, Game-B. ii, p. 309 ; Stuart Baker, J. B. N. H. S. 

 xii, p. 603 (1899) ; id. Indian Ducks, p. 217 (1908) ; Hopwood, 

 J. B. X. H. S. xviii, p. 433 (1909) ; Hariiigton, ibid, xxi, p. 1088 

 (1912) ; Bell, ibid, xxii, p. 400 (1913). 



Description. Adult Male.— Whole head and neck rich deep chestnut, 

 changing rather abruptly into the black of the upper hack and breast ; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts dull-black ; remainder of upper plumage extremely 

 pale clear grey, very finely vermiculated with black bars ; wing-coverts dark 

 grey, more or less vermiculated with white ; primaries dark-grey, edged 

 outwardly and tipped blackish ; secondaries forming a dull-grey speculum, 

 the feathers narrowly tipped whitish and divided from the inner secondaries 

 by narrow black borders to two or three of these feathers ; lower breast 

 blackish, the feathers more or less fringed white; remainder of lower 

 plumage white or very pale grey, sparsely stippled with black, the stipplings 

 more numerous towards the vent and flanks; under tail-coverts dull-black ; 

 tail dull greyish-brown, tipped paler. 



Occasionally the male has a pure white spot at the apex of the chin, 

 a skin lent me by the Bombay Natural History Society having the spot 

 more highly developed than in any other specimen I have ever seen. 



Colours of soft parts. — Irides yellow or reddish -yellow ; base and end 

 of bill black, intermediate portions varying from pale clear plumbeous-blue 

 to rather dull dark-plumbeous ; the legs vary through the same shades 

 of grey or plumbeous-blue, dark and blackish on the joints and v?ebs. 



" The irides vary ; they are generally orange-yellow, but I have noted 

 them brown in one apparently adult female and lac-red in an old male. 



"The legs and feet are pale bluish or slaty-grey, or dull-leaden, often 



