8 9 



POCHAED. 

 Case 105. 



A few of these birds occasionally nest in the 

 British Islands, but it is decidedly the exception, 

 not the rule. 



Immense flocks make their appearance during 

 the autumn on the lochs in Scotland and on the 

 lakes and broads in England. When not molested 

 they become remarkably fearless, but from being so 

 generally persecuted they soon get wild and it 

 needs no little skill to work a punt within gun- 

 shot. They may however generally be approached 

 with some chance of success just before daybreak ; 

 they then seem disinclined to take wing, drawing 

 all together and swimming in a compact body. 



I had made a very successful shot at these 

 birds a few winters back in the east of Norfolk, 

 and the following morning I was again on the look- 

 out for the flock. Though prevented by a thick 

 fog from finding them for a considerable time, I at 

 last caught sight of what I took to be nearly a 

 hundred swimming close together at about sixty 

 yards' distance, and was bringing the gun to bear 

 my finger being on the trigger when suddenly a 

 head appeared in the centre of the object, and I dis- 

 covered that the flock of Pochard was a man in a 

 punt within ten yards of the muzzle of my gun. 

 One second longer and the unfortunate fowler 

 would have received the contents of a punt gun 

 loaded with a pound and a quarter of shot. I 

 nearly got peppered myself on one occasion under 

 similar circumstances, and considering the imperfect 

 light in which the heaviest shots are generally made, 

 it is a wonder that more accidents do not occur. 



The flesh of this bird is supposed to resemble 

 that of the celebrated American Canvas-back Duck. 



The specimens in the case were shot on Loch 

 Slyn in the east of Ross-shire in March, 1869. 

 See "Bough Xotes," Vol. III., Plate 12. 



