IoO RED-CRESTED POCHARD. 



England; as stated above, it is considered a rare 

 species everywhere, being met with only now and 

 then, as in Britain, in the different parts of the 

 European continent where ornithology has been 

 attended to. Out of Europe, Africa and India 

 seem the only countries where we have an authen- 

 tic notice of its presence. Mr. Yarrell describes, 

 the male from his British specimens, as having the 

 " beak vermilion-red, the nail white, the irides 

 reddish brown, the whole of the head and upper 

 part of the neck, all round rich reddish chestnut ; 

 the feathers on the top of the head considerably 

 elongated, forming a conspicuous crest; the back 

 of the neck below, and the upper-tail coverts, dark 

 brown ; the back and a portion of the scapularies, 

 wing coverts, and tertials, yellowish brown ; a 

 white patch on the carpal joint of the wing, and 

 another over the joint ; greater coverts, ash brown ; 

 wing primaries and tail-feathers greyish brown ; the 

 secondaries with the outer webs white, forming a 

 speculum ; front of the neck, breast, belly, and under 

 tail-coverts, rich dark brown ; the sides and flanks 

 white; legs and toes vermilion red; interdigital 

 membrane almost white. The whole length twenty- 

 two inches. The female is without a crest; the 

 top of the head dark brown ; cheeks, throat, and 

 sides of the neck, greyish white ; upper surface of 

 the body pale rufous brown ; front of the shoulder 

 and speculum greyish white ; breast reddish brown ; 

 the other parts of the under surface greyish brown ; 

 beak and legs reddish brown." 



