WATER FOWL OF INDIA AND ASIA. 55 
mens, but 1901 I again saw a few. In 1902, however, 
none appeared in the market. 
The wild habits of this Duck are said to resemble those 
of the Common White-eye, next to be noticed, and it 
lays similar eggs; my own observations on its ways 
have been restricted tocaptives. It is a better walker 
than most Pochards, and, I have fancied, hardly so 
fine a diver. It certainly, judging from birds in the. 
fine water aviary in the Alipore Zoological Gardens, 
rises more easily on the wing and flies with less effort 
than other Pochards. I noticed that at Alipore our 
birds could rise well up into the roof and fly round and 
round like the surface-feeding Ducks. In captivity 
in India the species appears to stand the heat less well 
than the common White-eye. I am ashamed to say, 
having had more to do with this species than pro- 
bably any one, that I do not know how it tastes! 
But Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker, who does, pronounces it 
very bad. 
The White-eye. 
Nyroca ferruginea, BLANFORD, Faun. Brit. Ind., 
Birds, Vol. IV, p. 460. 
VERNACULAR NaAmeEs.—Karchiya, Burar-mada, 
H.: Lalbigri, Bhuti-hans, Beng.; Burnu, Sind: 
Malac, Nepal Terai. 
This species, sometimes, but very erroneously, called 
a ‘‘ Wigeon”’ by sportsmen, is the smallest of all our 
Pochards, being slighter, if not much shorter, than the 
Tufted species. 
The male has the head, breast, and flanks, rich glossy 
bay or mahogany-red ; the belly and stern are white, 
and the upper plumage and wings dark brown, with the 
usual white on the latter, and the inner quills glossed 
green. It appears not to go into undress at all. The 
