BRITISH BIRDS. 335 



white. The tail consists of twelve short feathers, 

 of a dark brownish ash, which have also a hoary 

 grey appearance: the legs and toes are lead colour, 

 shaded and dashed with black. 



This species is without the beauty-spot on the 

 wings, and has altogether a more plain grave- 

 looking plumage than others of this tribe. The 

 specimen from which the above figure was drawn, 

 was shot at Axwell Park, in the county of Durham : 

 the description was taken from one shot in January, 

 near Holy Island. The former differed from the 

 latter in wanting the black on the rump and vent, 

 and in some other slight variations in the shadings 

 of its colours. 



The head and neck of the female are chesnut: 

 the breast is of rather a deeper colour : the coverts 

 of the wings plain ash colour: the back marked 

 like that of the male: the belly ash colour, clouded 

 with chesnut. 



These birds leave the north on the approach of 

 winter, and migrate southward as far, it is said, as 

 Egypt, in Africa, and Carolina and Louisiana, in 

 America. They arrive in the marshes of France 

 about the end of October, in tolerably numerous 

 flocks ; and considerable numbers of them are 

 caught in the fens of Lincolnshire during the win- 

 ter season, and sold in the London markets, where 

 they and the female Wigeons are indiscriminately 

 called Dunbirds, and are esteemed excellent eating. 

 It has been known to remain to breed in England. 

 The eggs vary in number from ten to thirteen. 



The Pochard is of a plump round shape, and its 

 walk is heavy, ungraceful, and waddling ; but when 

 on the wing, they fly with greater rapidity than the 



