POCHARD 249 



in recent times. The pochard is more a freshwater than a sea- 

 duck, and comes nearest to the tufted duck in its habits, obtaining 

 its food by diving, and tearing up the grass and weeds from the 

 lake-bottom. It feeds chiefly on vegetable matter, and is considered 

 a better bird for the table than any other diving duck. In its 

 flight it resembles the tufted duck, and also has a harsh, quick cry, 

 like that species, when alarmed. At other times it has a low, 

 whistling call-note. The nest is a hollow among the herbage near 

 the water, or in a- tussock of sedge, and is lined with dry grass, and 

 with down from the sitting-bird. Seven to ten or twelve eggs are 

 laid, in colour like those of the scaup. 



Goldeneye. 

 Clangula glaucion. 



Head and neck glossy green, the crown-feathers slightly elong- 

 ated ; a white patch at the base of the bill ; back black ; lower 

 neck, scapulars, speculum, and under parts white ; thighs dark 

 brown ; bill bluish black ; irides golden-yellow ; legs and toes 

 yellow, with blackish webs. Length, nineteen inches. Female : 

 dark brown above, without the white face-spot ; below, white. The 

 female colour is assumed by the male in summer. 



The goldeneye is a regular winter visitant to the British Islands, 

 remaining from the middle of October to the middle of April. In 

 language and flight it resembles the scaup and tufted duck, but its 

 flight is more violent, the rapidly-beating wings producing a loud, 

 whistling sound. It passes most of the time on the water, and 

 dives for its food, which consists of small fishes, frogs, shellfish, 

 and insects ; also seeds and tender shoots of water-plants. During 

 the winter it inhabits the sea and inland waters indifferently ; but 

 in its summer haunts it seeks an inland lake, marsh, or river, where 

 it has the peculiar habit of nesting in the trunk of a hollow tree. 

 The eggs are deposited on the rotten wood at the bottom of the 

 cavity, and a thick bed of down from the sitting-bird is made. As 

 many as nineteen eggs are sometimes laid, but a dozen or thirteen 

 is the more usual number. They are smooth and glossy, and 

 greyish green in colour. The natives in the summer home of the 

 goldeneye place suitable nesting-boxes, with small entrance -holes, 

 in the trees ; the ducks readily occupy the boxes, and return to 



