148 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



is known as " poker " and " redhead," owing to the 

 bright chestnut colouring of its head and neck. 

 This, with its black breast and beautifully freckled 

 grey back, make it a handsome bird. It is somewhat 

 heavily made, swims low in the water, and, from its 

 legs being placed far behind for diving, it is awkward 

 on land. In winter the pochard is abundant on the 

 coast, but it is one of the shyest of fowl and is 

 always difficult of approach. If alarmed it paddles 

 rapidly away, turning its head and keeping its eye on 

 the intruder. As a consequence of their extreme 

 wariness pochards are much more frequently netted 

 than shot. This kind of fowling was mainly practised 

 on flight ponds near the coast, especially in the south- 

 eastern counties. And this is how it was done: 

 " The water was surrounded with huge nets, fastened 

 between poles laid flat on the ground when ready 

 for action, each net being perhaps sixty feet long 

 and twenty feet deep. When all was ready, the 

 pochards were frightened up out of the water. 

 Like all diving ducks, they are obliged to fly low for 

 some distance, and also to head the wind before 

 rising. Just as the mass of birds reached the side 

 of the pool, one of the immense nets, previously 

 regulated by weights and springs, rose upright as 

 it was freed from its fastenings by the fowler from a 

 distance with a long rope. If this were done at the 

 right moment, the ducks were met full in the face by 



