THE DIVING DUCKS 



[ORDER: Anseriformes. SUBORDER: Anseres. FAMILY: Anatidce. 



SUBFAMILY: Fuligulince] 



PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 



[F. C. R. JOURDAIN. W. P. PYCRAFT. A. L. THOMSON] 



POCHARD [Nyroca ferina (Linnseus) ; Fuligula ferina (Linnaeus). Red- 

 headed-pochard, poker, red-head, dun-bird ; snuffle-headed wigeon (Kent) ; 

 frosty-back (Devon) ; sandyheaded-poker (Norfolk). French, milouin ; 

 German, Tafel-Ente ; Italian, moriglione]. 



1. Description. The pochard is easily recognised by the broad lobe of the 

 hind-toe and the absence of white in the wings. The sexes differ conspicuously in 

 coloration, and there is a seasonal change of coloration in the male. (PL 161.) 

 Length 19 in. [482 mm.]. The male in full dress has the head and neck chesnut- 

 red, the fore-part of the back and fore-breast black or very dusky chesnut ; the 

 scapulars, interscapulars, and the under parts white vermiculated with dark 

 grey. The wing-coverts are dark brownish grey, the secondaries pale grey, the 

 lower back and the upper and under tail-coverts are black. The iris is red, 

 the beak black, with a grey patch in the middle of the upper mandible. The 

 eclipse dress is not markedly different from the full plumage, the head and 

 neck being browner, and the breast of a dark pencilled grey. The female has the 

 head and neck of a dull chesnut-brown, darker on the crown and hind-neck, and 

 shaded with white on the cheeks and above the eye. The back is of a dark brown 

 frosted with grey. The wing-coverts are grey, with darker vermiculations, while the 

 secondaries, as in the male, are pale grey. The under parts are of a dull brownish 

 white, except the flanks, which are dark brown. Tail-coverts black, as in the male, 

 but duller. Immature birds resemble the female, but are browner below. The 

 young hi down are of a dark brown, paler below, [w. P. P.] 



2. Distribution. The pochard is now well established as a breeding species 



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