70 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



not more than twelve or fourteen inches to travel 

 from the edge of her nest into deep water. 



Materials. Bushes, sedges, reeds, and grass, 

 with an inner lining of down tufts plucked from 

 the bird's own body. These are greyish-black, 

 smaller and a trifle darker than those of the 

 Pochard, with more obscure white centres. 



Eggs. Eight to fourteen, usually nine or ten. 

 Pale buff tinged with green. Very similar to those 

 of the Pochard. Size about 2*3 by T6 in. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. A winter visitor, though numbers stay 

 to breed. Notes : call, currugh, curriigh, uttered on 

 alighting. Local and other names : Tufted Pochard. 

 Sits closely. 



DUCK, WILD. Also MALLARD. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about 

 twenty-four inches. Bill of medium length, broad > 

 and yellowish-green. Irides hazel. Head and 

 upper half of neck rich glossy green, below which 

 is a narrow collar of white, succeeded by greyish 

 chestnut-brown ; back brown ; wings ash-brown, 

 with a broad transverse bar of reflecting purplish- 

 or violet-blue, bounded on either side by a narrow 

 bar of rich black, and another beyond of white. 

 Rump, upper tail-coverts, and four middle tail- 

 feathers, which are curled upwards, rich velvet- 

 black, the rest ash-grey edged with white. Upper 

 part of breast rich dark chestnut ; lower breast, 

 belly, and vent greyish-white ; under tail- coverts, 

 rich black. Legs, toes, and webs orange-yellow. 



The female is about two inches shorter, and 

 her plumage is nearly all composed of sober brown 

 and black. She retains the rich bar of violet- or 



