WHITE-EYED POCHARD. 573 



tussock of sedge ; and Taczanowski found it in Poland built in a bush two 

 or three feet above the ground, but carefully concealed. The nest is of 

 moderate size, made of dry rush and sedge, the finer kinds used to form the 

 interior, together with down and a few feathers. 



The White-eyed Pochard generally lays ten eggs, but the clutches vary 

 from nine to fourteen. The colour of the eggs is a pale creamy brown, like 

 that of coffee with plenty of milk in it, and occasionally there is an almost 

 imperceptible shade of green. They vary in length from 2'2 to T9 inch, 

 and in breadth from 1'54 to 1*4 inch. The only eggs with which they are 

 likely to be confused are those of the Gadwall, the Wigeon, the Harlequin, 

 and the Smew ; but the down of the three latter species is very different, 

 that of the White-eyed Pochard being very dark brown and having no 

 perceptible white tips. Its eggs may generally be distinguished by the 

 relatively greater weight of the shell. Eggs selected as near as possible of 

 the same dimensions (two inches by an inch and a half) weigh respec- 

 tively, of the White-eyed Pochard 63 grains, Smew 55 grains, Gadwall 

 50 grains, and Wigeon 45 grains. 



When the nest is approached, the female slips quietly off into the water, 

 and tries to avoid observation by diving, in a very similar way to a Grebe. 

 Captain Shelley states that in Egypt, where this Duck is very common, 

 ne has seen them in immense flocks, many thousand birds together, keep- 

 ing in the centre of the lake. When disturbed, the noise made by their 

 rapidly moving feet striking the water, together with that caused by their 

 wings, could be distinctly heard at a distance of two miles. In India the 

 flesh of the White-eyed Pochard is very inferior ; but in Spain, Irby states 

 that it is excellent, and far superior to that of the other two Pochards. 

 This may probably be owing to a difference in the food of the birds 

 inhabiting the two countries. 



The White-eyed Pochard is about the size of the Wigeon. The adult 

 male in nuptial dress has the head, neck, and breast reddish chestnut, 

 shading into brownish chestnut on the flanks, and into dark greenish 

 brown on the rest of the upper parts except the quills, where it only 

 extends to the outer webs of the first four primaries and to the tips 

 of both primaries and secondaries, the rest being pure white, as are 

 also the belly, axillaries, under wing-coverts, and under tail-coverts ; 

 the dark colour of the mantle extends round the neck, forming an 

 obscure ring ; the mantle and upper scapulars are sprinkled with minute 

 buff specks, as in the Tufted Duck. On the chin is a small but very 

 conspicuous white spot. Bill black ; legs and feet slate-grey, darker on 

 the webs ; irides white. 



The female White-eyed Pochard resembles the male more closely than is 

 the case with most Ducks. It only differs in having the chestnut on the head 

 browner, and that upon the breast suffused with white and less clearly defined 



