146 RED-HEADED POCHARD. 



The whole head, neck, breast, and flanks are of a 

 dull chestnut-red ; the back, wings, and tail nearly 

 uniform umber-brown, darker on the rump ; the 

 carpal edge of the wings and base of the great-covers 

 being white, the latter forming a bar across the 

 wing ; the belly is yellowish white, shading towards 

 the thighs into pale blackish brown ; the under tail- 

 covers are white, and show a triangular spot there ; 

 bill bluish black ; eyes bluish white, whence one of 

 its names ; the irides of the two last described po- 

 chards are bright golden-yellow, and these, from 

 the contrast of the colour with the dark plumage, 

 gives to them a great deal of expression or anima- 

 tion. 



THE RED-HEADED POCHARD, OR DUN-BIRD, Fu- 

 LIGULA FERINA. Anas ferina, Linn. Fuligula 

 ferina, Steph., Selly, &c. Canard milouin, Temm. 

 Pochard, Red-headed Widgeon, or Dun-lird of 

 British authors. This chastely coloured bird is one 

 of the more abundant of the British Fuligulina?, but, 

 like the others, is almost entirely a winter visitant. 

 It extends from the south of England to the Orkneys 

 and Shetland. In the south and fenny countries it 

 is extremely abundant, great numbers being taken 

 by decoys and other devices, and brought to the 

 markets, where they are in request, from the esti- 

 mation in which they are held for the table. As 

 we proceed to the north of England and Scotland, 

 they diminish in frequency ; though they are still 



