OF KOHTHUMBEELAJfD AJSTD DURHAM. 157 



The Pochard differs from the celebrated Canvas-back Duck of 

 America in no important character excepting that of size, the 

 latter being considerably the larger. 



52, "White-eted Poctta-rd. P. nxroca, {GuMenstein.) 



Anas leucopMhalmos, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, 11., 

 337. 



FuUgida nyroca, Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, III., 337. 



A rare casual visitant. Mr. Selby, in his catalogue, says, 

 " The individual fi-om ^vhich the figure in the ' Illustrations of 

 British Ornithology' was taken, was killed on the river Tyne, 

 in the neighbourhood of Hexham." This is, I think, the only 

 example that has been known to occur in the district. 



154. CLANGULA, Fleming. 



53. GoLDEisr-ETE. C. GiAucioN, {Linnoiiis .) 



Anas dangula, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, II., 343. 

 FuUgula „ YaiTell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, III., 368. 



A common winter visitant. Adult birds are much less fre- 

 quent than the immature. We obtained a nest of this species 

 in Norway, in 1833 ; it contaiaed five eggs. "We did not take 

 it ourselves ; it had been found, a few days before we arrived, at 

 Komstadt, in Overhalden. Here the eggs were shown to us ; 

 and on making enquiry we ascertained that the nest was in a 

 hole in a tree at no great distance from where we then were ; so 

 being anxious to determine the species we went to the spot, and 

 found that the hole was in an aspen tree, and had been the nest- 

 ing place the previous year of a Woodpecker; the tree stood 

 close by a considerable stream. The entrance of the hole was 

 just wide enough to admit my hand, and was about fifteen feet 

 from the ground ; it was sixteen inches deep, and widened con- 

 siderably downwards. The nest was composed of straw, and 

 feathers of the Grolden-eye. And thus we obtained the first in- 

 formation as to the nesting habits of this species. The boy who 

 had found the nest, and was our guide, was now particularly 



