THE POCHARD. 3?7 



and a half; the bill is broader than the wigeon's, of a deep lead- 

 colour, with a black tip ; irides, orange; the head and neck deep 

 chesnut, with a small triangular spot of white under the centre 

 of the lower mandible ; the lower part of the neck and breast, 

 and upper part of the back, dusky black ; scapulars and wing 

 coverts nearest the body of a greyish white, elegantly marked 

 with narrow lines of black ; the exterior wing coverts and quills, 

 dusky brown ; secondary quill feathers regularly edged with a 

 stripe of white; the belly, ash-coloured and brown ; vent feathers, 

 and coverts of tail, black ; the tail consists of twelve short feathers 

 of a deep grey; the legs lead-coloured. The female has the 

 head of a pale reddish brown ; the breast is rather of a deeper 

 colour ; wing coverts and belly, cinereous ; the back marked like 

 that of the male. 



These birds are eagerly bought by the London poulterers, 

 under the name of dun birds, as they are deemed excellent eating : 

 the greater part of what appear in the markets are caught in de- 

 coys. 



