THE POCHARD AND TUFTED DUCK 327 



pencilled with darker gray ; the wings light gray, 

 with a green spot ; the wing-coverts are white. 



The female is brown and gray above ; the head 

 and neck light brown, mottled with dark brown ; 

 wings grayish- white with a gray spot. The male 

 changes its plumage to a great extent to that of 

 the female. The legs and feet of both sexes are 

 dark brown, the bill lead-coloured. 



The pochard (the ch pronounced as k) is a fairly 

 common visitor during the winter, though some 

 birds remain with us to breed. It measures from 

 seventeen to nineteen inches. The head and 

 neck are red chestnut ; the breast black ; the 

 upper parts mottled with black and white, the 

 under parts grayish white ; tail-coverts black ; 

 bill black, with a band of blue across the middle ; 

 legs and feet blue-gray. In the female the chin 

 is white, the head, neck, and breast of a dull 

 brown. It is most frequent on the East coast, 

 though by no means uncommon elsewhere. It 

 is plentiful in Ireland. 



The tufted duck, although chiefly visiting us 

 from autumn to spring, breeds in some parts of 

 Britain, more particularly in Nottinghamshire, 

 where it receives protection during the breeding 

 season. It is also said to have been known to 

 breed in Northumberland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, 

 Norfolk, Sussex, and Dorsetshire, as well as in 

 some parts of Scotland and Ireland. It is a 

 smaller bird than the pochard, measuring but 

 seventeen inches. It is readily distinguishable 



