430 POCHARD. 



breeds as far north as Lake Ladoga, and southward to the Caspian. 

 A tolerable number nest in Denmark, Germany, Poland and suit- 

 able localities throughout Europe, down to the Mediterranean ; to 

 which, as well as to North Africa, large flocks resort in winter. 

 Eastward, its range extends in summer across temperate Asia to 

 the Baikal district, but not further north ; and southward in winter 

 to Japan, China, and many parts of India. In America the re- 

 presentative is a closely-allied species, F. americana, with no black at 

 the base of the bill, greyer back, and whiter belly. The famous 

 Canvas-back belongs to this genus, and not long ago an unfortunate 

 West-end poulterer who had received that bird in ice from 

 America, was prosecuted by bold-swearing meddlers for selling 

 Pochards during close-time. 



The nest' is placed among rushes, sedge, or other coarse herbage 

 on the margins of meres and pools ; the eggs, 7-10 or even 13 in 

 number, being greenish-drab in colour : average measurements 2-3 

 by I "6 in. So long as the Pochard eats the plants which grow 

 below the surface of our inland waters, it is excellent for the table ; 

 but when on the sea it becomes coarse, owing to a diet of crustaceans 

 and molluscs. It feeds principally towards dark, at which time large 

 numbers are captured in nets set for the purpose, but from decoys 

 its diving-powers often enable it to escape. The usual note is a low 

 whistle, but the alarm-cry is a rough croak. In captivity it has been 

 known to breed, but not freely. Wild birds have several times been 

 obtained which appear to be hybrids between it and the Ferruginous 

 Duck ; and one of these is the so-called ' Paget's Pochard ' described 

 by Mr. W. R. Fisher (Zool. pp. 1137, 1778), shot on Rollesby Broad, 

 Norfolk, and now in the possession of Mr. J. H. Gurney, who has a 

 second example, shot in the same county in February 1859. This 

 hybrid has been named F. hojneyeri and F. ferindides. 



The adult male has the head and neck chestnut-red ; breast and 

 upper back black ; mantle finely freckled with black and white ; 

 speculum inconspicuous and grey ; under parts greyish-white ; tail- 

 coverts black ; bill black with a broad band of blue across the 

 middle; iris red; legs and toes bluish-grey. Length i9"5 ; wing 

 8'25 in. The female has the head, neck and breast dull brown, and 

 the chin white ; the rest of the plumage being browner than in the 

 male. The young at first resemble her, and the black breast is not 

 assumed by the drake during his first year. 



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