THE POCHARD AND TUFTED-DUCK 267 



time, so that while hundreds may be seen floating idly on the water 

 one evening, by the next morning every bird may have disappeared. 



The pochard returns to its breeding-place in March, and associ- 

 ates at first with other species. In its courtship the pochard shows 

 signs of a more phlegmatic disposition than the other ducks. The 

 somewhat harsh and deep " charr, charr, charr," or, as written by some, 

 " kurr, kurr, kurr," l of the male may frequently be heard at this time 

 as two or three of them swim in pursuit of a female, following her 

 every turn. According to Naumann, fights between the rival males 

 rarely or never take place. Professor Newton, who kept a pair for 

 some years in confinement, remarks that the actions of the cock in 

 spring were most entertaining. " He would extend himself at full 

 length on the water, and utter the softest of sounds," 2 but unfortu- 

 nately his mate proved to be indifferent to his advances, and 

 breeding never took place. Naumann says that the female exercises 

 free choice among her admirers, and retires with the selected 

 partner, leaving the disconsolate swains to seek other mates. 



Mr. J. G. Millais has kindly furnished the following description of 

 the courtship from his forthcoming monograph on the Diving Ducks. 

 At the commencement of the courtship several males may be seen 

 crowding round a female who shows a disposition to accept attentions. 

 She in turn " circles round some male, dipping her bill in the water, 

 stretching her neck low on the water, and occasionally uttering her 

 coarse cry of ' kurr-kurr-kurr.' The males continuously keep up their 

 curious groan, which is somewhat like a man affected with asthma and 

 being told by the doctor to 'take a deep breath.' In addition to this 

 call they also utter a soft low whistle, which the spectator must be close 

 at hand to hear. The first attitude of the male consists in throwing 

 the head and neck back until the back of the head touches a point 

 between the shoulders. This is repeated constantly at the beginning 



1 Or, as Dresser writes it, "a low rerrr-rerrr-a." 



2 Evidently an allusion to the courting notes or song, which unfortunately is still un- 

 described. 



