THE POACHAED. 243 



wings producing a whistling sound, which is heard in calm weather 

 at a considerable distance.* They rise easily from the water, 

 striking it with their feet and wings for several yards ; but under 

 alarm, or when there is a breeze rippling the surface, they can 

 ascend at once. During winter they are met with in all parts of the 

 country, from Shetland and Orkney on the one side, and from the 

 Lewis Islands on the other, to the southern extremity of England. 

 In Ireland, also, they are constant winter visitors ; but they do 

 not seem to breed with us, betaking themselves to the Arctic 

 regions in spring, and returning in October. They are essentially 

 lake Ducks ; but they are also found on the open coasts and 

 estuaries. Their flesh is dark-coloured and unsavoury, it requiring 

 all the art of the cook to conceal its natural fishy flavour. 



They are generally plentiful in our markets, where the young 

 and females go under the comprehensive name of Widgeons. 



The Golden- eyed Gar rot flies low and rapidly. In the month 

 of November it reaches France in small flocks, to remain till the 

 spring. Then it returns to its native country Sweden, Norway, 

 or Lapland. As it is not a shy bird, the sportsmen on the sea- 

 coasts of Picardy, Normandy, and the Landes kill large quantities 

 of them. 



THE POACHARD. 



ENGLISH SYNONYMS. Bed-headed Poachard: McGillivray. Poachard 

 Montagu. Common Poachard : Jenyns. 



LATIN SYNONYMS. Anas ferina: Linn., Latham, Temminck. Aytliya 

 ferina : Bonaparte, McGillivray. Fuligula ferina : Selby, Jenyns. 



FRENCH SYNONYM. Canard melouin : Temminck. 



The Poachard nearly resembles the American Canvas-back Duck, 

 but is unlike any British species in form. Its body (of the male) is 

 large, full, depressed, and elliptical in form ; its neck long and 

 thick ; the head large, oblong, compressed, and rounded above. The 

 plumage is dense, soft, and glossy. The feathers on the fore part 

 of the head are small and stiff ; on the remainder of the head and 

 neck soft, silky, and blended. The wings are short, curved, narrow, 

 and pointed. The bill black to a little beyond the nostrils, the inter- 

 mediate space light greyish blue. The head, and half the neck all 

 round, are of a fine brownish- orange tint. 



* From the noise made by their wings they are in some localities called Whistlers. 



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