C; 



214 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



The common Pochard is abundant in North Tunisia during the 

 winter months, arriving in October and November, and leaving again 

 in March, being among the last of the winter migrants to depart. 

 There seems to be no recorded instance of the species having bred 

 in the Eegenc}'. Loche states that the Pochard is plentiful in winter 

 in Algeria, and it is not uncommon at that season in Marocco, having 

 even been met with there as late as March 30th. Throughout the 

 Mediterranean generally the species is more or less abundant in 

 winter, and in some parts of Italy it is said to have bred. 



The Pochard frequents both the sea-coast and inland waters, is 

 essentially gregarious and usually to be found in large flocks, and is 

 not particularly shy or timid, though a wary bird on the whole. It 

 swims and dives remarkably well, and is fairly swift on the wing, 

 though reluctant to take to flight, often, in fact, when approached by 

 a boat, attempting to elude pursuit by swimming in preference to 

 flying. It is a silent bird as a rule, but has a whistling note, as also 

 a low call-note something like the syllable " kurr." The species is 

 not a surface-feeding Duck, and obtains its food chiefly at the bottom 

 of the water. This consists principally of aquatic plants, insects, and 

 Crustacea, and also to a certain extent, it is said, of small fish. 



NYROCA NYROCA (Giildenstadt.) 

 FEEKUGINOUS DUCK. 



Anas nyroca, Giild. Nov. Oomvi. Petrop. xiv, p. 403 (1769). 

 Nyroca nyroca, Fleming, Phil, of Zool. ii, p. 260 (1822). 

 Nyroca africana, Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mas. sxvii, p. 315. 

 Anas leucophthalmos, Malhcrbe, Faiuie Orn. dc I'Alg. p. 37 (1855). 

 Nyroca leucophthalma, Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 391 (1867) ; 



Eoenig, J.f. 0. 1888, p. 285; id. J.f. 0. 1893, p. 95. 

 Nyroca ferruginea, Whitaker, Ibis, 1895, p. 105. 

 Fuligula nyroca, Erlanger, J.f. 0. 1900, p. 71. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from North Tunisia. 



Head, neck and breast glossy chestnut, with a white patch on the chin ; 

 a blackish-brown collar encircling the neck, and merging into the mantle, 

 which is also of that colour ; back and rest of the upper parts blackish ; the 

 secondaries glossed with metallic-green and with a white speculum, tipped 

 wdth black ; edge of the wing white ; centre of the abdomen white shading 

 into brown on the lower part ; crissum and under tail-coverts white. 



