284 INDIAN DUCKS 



(43) NYROCA PULIGULA. 



THE CEESTED POCHARD OR TUFTED POCHARD. 



Anas fuligula, Linn. S. N. x. eJ. i, p, 128 (1758) (Sweden). 



Fuligula cristata, Jcnion, B. of I. iii, p. 815: Butler, S. F. iv, p. 31 ; 



id. ihid. V, p. 234 ; Ball, ihid. vii, p. 232 ; Hume, ,hul. p. 490 ; /(/. 



Cat. No. 971 : JIumc d'- Marsh. Ganic-B. iii, p. 277 ; Hume, S. F. viii, 



p. 115; Vidal. ibnl. ix, p. 93; Butlrr. ,hid. p. 439; Rcid, ihid. x, 



p. 85; Davidson, ihid. p. 32(3; Barnes, B. of Bom. p. 414; Ilitmc, 



S. F. xi, p. 347. 

 Fulix cristata, Huiue, S. F. i, p. 265 ; Davids, d- Wend. ihid. x'u, p. 93. 

 Fuligula fuligula, Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 363 ; Oates, Game-B. 



ii, p. 348 ; Stuart Baker, J. B. N. II. S., xiii, p. 6 (1900) ; id. Indian 



Duchs, p. 239 (1908). 

 Nyroca fuligula, Blanford, Avifauna B. I. iv, p. 463; Ilopirood, 



J. B. N. II. S. xviii, p. 433 (1908) ; Ilanmjton, ihid. xix, p. 379 



(1910) ; Bell, ibid, xxii, p. 400 (1913). 



Description. Adult Male. — Whole head, neck, back, rump, tail. In-east, 

 wing-coverts, under tail-coverts, and innermost flanks black. On the head 

 there is a certain amount of green gloss on the sides, and the crest and 

 nape have purple reflections ; the back, scapulars, and more or less of the 

 wing-coverts have a very fine powdering of white, so fine as to often 

 require careful looking for before being found, and never enough to have 

 any influence on the prevailing tint ; primaries dark brown, the inner web 

 of the first wliitish at the base, fading into brown elsewhere, the white on 

 each quill increasing in extent until, on tlie innermost, only the terminal 

 half-inch is dark. In all the quills the definition between white and brown 

 is gradual, not abrupt, the two colours gradually blending; outer secondaries 

 white with black tips; inner secondaries black, glossed with green. Abdomen 

 white, sharply defined from the breast, but more or less mottled near the 

 black flanks. Irides bright yellow ; bill deep slate, tipped black ; legs dull 

 lead-colour. 



Measurements. — Length about 17 inches, tail 2'1 to 3'0, wing 7'6 to 

 8'5, tarsus 1'5 ; bill straight from front to tip 1'52 to 1'75, at widest point 

 0'86 to 0'90, and at narrowest 0'G5 to 0'70 ; crest from 1'75 to 2'72. 



Males.--" Length 16'6 to 17'2 inches, expanse 27'5 to 30'3, wing 7'8 to 

 8'5, tail from vent 2'5 to 3'25, tarsus 1'3 to 1'4, bill from gape 1'85 to 2'0. 

 Weight 1 lb. 8 ozs. to 2 lbs. 4 oz." 



Colours of soft parts. — " la adults the bills vary from dull leaden to 



