THE POCHARD OR DUN-BIRD. 81 



for other wild-fowl during the severest part of winter; when 

 they are indefatigable in their exertions in diving in deep water and 

 bringing up to the surface abundant supplies of weeds and other lens 

 palustris, which, after being slightly picked over by the dun-birds, is 

 greedily attacked by wild-ducks and widgeon. When actively engaged 

 in diving for their food, dun-birds generally keep in scattered dop- 

 pings, within circles of about thirty or forty yards' circumference. 



Dun-birds are much in the habit of alighting in decoys at night, 

 when they are aware of good feeding there, and happen to have been 

 about the sea-coast during the day. They fly in a much more irre- 

 gular body than the generality of wild-fowl : no straight or diverged 

 line marks their course ; but they proceed through the air in one 

 closely-packed body, making a loud hissing noise with their short 

 wings, which they use with very rapid stroke. 



