RED-HEADED POCHARD. 



the autumn, at which season it affects fresh waters in 

 the vicinity of the sea, and makes its appearance in 

 the fens of Lincolnshire and other marshy places in 

 Britain, though not in very great plenty. These 

 birds do not breed in England, but retire northward 

 for that purpose : the female is said to lay twelve or 

 thirteen greenish-white eggs. Their flesh is reckoned 

 particularly good, and is greatly esteemed for food. 

 This property has rendered their capture of some 

 importance; and as they cannot be taken by means 

 of the usual decoy (of which a full account is given 

 in the description of the Wild Duck), owing to their 

 diving propensities, a different method is employed, 

 which is thus mentioned by Montagu : " Poles are 

 erected at the avenues of the decoy, and after a great 

 number of these birds have collected for some time 

 on the pool (to which wild fowl resort only by day, 

 and go to the neighbouring fens to feed by night), a 

 net is at a given time erected by pulleys to these 

 poles, beneath which a deep pit has previously been 

 dug : and as these birds go to feed just as it is dark, 

 and are said always to rise against the wind, a whole 

 flock is taken together in this manner ; for when once 

 they strike against the net, they never attempt to 

 return, but flutter down the net till they are received 

 into the pit, whence they cannot rise ; and thus 

 we are told twenty dozen have been taken at one 

 catch." 



It has been said that this species will not live in 

 confinement. Montagu, however, states, that " no 

 bird appears sooner reconciled to the menagerie." 

 One that was in his possession, that was badly 



