212 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



soon becomes very rapid, and the quickly-beating 

 wings make a rustling sound very characteristic of 

 this species. The Pochard is another expert diver, 

 and by this means obtains most of its food, visiting 

 the bottom and bringing up masses of weeds to eat 

 them on the surface. On the coast its food largely 

 consists of crustaceans and molluscs, as well as 

 marine plants. The note of this species is a loud 

 and harsh kurr. 



The haunts of the Pochard in summer are large 

 and open sheets of water, surrounded by a luxuriant 

 growth of sedge, rush, iris, and similar plants, or 

 situated on higher ground clothed with heath, gorse, 

 and coarse grass. It is a social bird during the 

 breeding period, several females often nesting close 

 together. The nest is always made near fresh 

 water, and in many cases absolutely floats on 

 rafts of fallen and rotting vegetation several yards 

 from the bank, or rests in some tussock surrounded 

 by shallow water. A bed of iris, or a crown of 

 rushes, is another favourite spot. It is made of 

 dry grass and fragments of any aquatic vegetation 

 obtainable, and lined with down from the female's 

 body. The eggs usually from eight to twelve, 

 sometimes more are brownish-gray. As is usual 

 among Ducks, the female alone brings up the 

 numerous family. This Duck is widely distributed 

 over many parts of Europe, Northern Asia, and 

 North America, the birds of the latter continent being 

 regarded by some ornithologists as a distinct species. 



