RED-CRESTED POCHARD a7 
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RED-CRESTED POCHARD. Netia rujina (Pallas). 
Coloured Figuwres.—Gould, ‘ Birds of Great Britain,’ vol. v, 
pl. 22; Dresser, ‘Birds of Hurope,’ vol. vi, pl. 435; 
Lilford, ‘ Coloured Figures,’ vol. vii, pl. 43. 
The Red-crested Pochard is a very rare wanderer to the 
British Isles, its breeding-haunts being Southern Europe, 
North Africa and Asia. ‘The earliest occurrence known is 
that of a female, obtained in Norfolk in 1818 (Saunders). 
Several others have been recorded from the same county. 
It has subsequently been obtained in the following coun- 
ties :—Northumberland, Westmoreland, Lincoln, Essex, 
Devon, Cornwall, Pembroke, occurring, as may be seen, 
most frequently on the east coast.' There are other records 
from London markets (Leadenhall), and from the Thames. 
In Scotland, there appears to be but one capture re- 
corded, namely, a bird taken in Argyll, January, 1862 
(Gray, ‘Birds of West Scotland’). 
Likewise from Ireland, only one example has been re- 
corded, namely, a bird obtained near Tralee, co. Kerry, 
January 18th, 1881 (Ussher, ‘ Zoologist,’ 1881, p. 143), 
and exhibited by More, before the Zoological Society of 
London, on March 15th, 1881 (Proc. Zool. Soc., 1881, 
p. 409). 
The rich, handsome plumage of the adult male should 
at once attract the attention of the observer in the field. 
Food.—This Pochard feeds on a variety of aquatic 
creatures, on frogs, fish, insects, and vegetable matter. Its 
flesh is considered palatable. 
Votce-—The voice is loud, consisting of harsh, deep 
notes, uttered chiefly at might ; the male also whistles 
in a high key. 
1 Recently, a specimen was shot at Redear, in Yorkshire, on 
January 20th, 1900 (T. H. Nelson, ‘ Zoologist,’ 1900, p. 483). 
