556 



6 



he found it extremely common in the lake districts ; but it only rarely breeds there, a few nesting 

 north of Ekaterinburg. Mr. Taczanowski states that it is common in Poland on passage, and a 

 few breed on the lakes and small marshes throughout the country. Borggreve says that it occurs 

 regularly on passage all through North Germany, and is not rare, but it only breeds sparingly on 

 some of the lakes in Pomerania and Mecklenburg. He found a pair breeding on the Oderbruch 

 and in Mecklenburg. Von Preen states that it is common on the Lake of Schwerin; Boeck 

 obtained it near Danzig in the summer; and, according to Gloger, it breeds, though not 

 commonly, in Silesia. Von Homeyer writes (J. f. O. 1872, p. 339) that it breeds frequently in 

 Lausitz ; Baldamus confirms a statement by Borggreve that it still breeds on the shores of the 

 Mansfeld lakes; and Mr. Schalow writes (J. f. O. 1876, p. 10) that Herr von Meyerink informed 

 him that it breeds frequently on the Wublitz, near Uetz, and on the Fahrland lake. Mr. J. 

 Collin says that it is frequently found in great numbers on the Danish coasts, where it arrives in 

 October and November, and leaves in March and April. It has also been found breeding in the 

 Ringkjobing Fiord, in Thy, on the Sperring So, and in Holstein. 



In winter it occurs in small numbers on the Dutch coast ; and Baron Fallon states that it is 

 also met with on the coasts of Belgium in Polders and the marshes of the Campine, as also, 

 though not common, on the Meuse. In France, MM. Degland and Gerbe write, it arrives late 

 in October in larger or smaller flocks, but disappears when the frost sets in, and returns late 

 in April on its passage northwards. It is, they add, very common on the marshes near Lille, 

 Douai, Bethune, and Cambrai in both seasons of passage. 



In Portugal the Pochard is said to be common in winter; and in Spain, Mr. Howard 

 Saunders says, it is tolerably abundant, and used formerly to nest at the Albufera, though it is 

 doubtful if it yet breeds in Andalucia. Colonel Irby writes (Orn. Str. Gibr. p. 203) that he has 

 but "rarely seen this Duck near Gibraltar, and then only in winter; but it is more abundant in 

 the marismas below Seville ; and at times a good many are to be seen at the Laguna de la Janda. 

 The Andalucian lagoons, however, being mostly very shallow and void of weeds, are not suited 

 to the habits of this diving Duck." According to Salvadori the present species is common, and 

 generally distributed in suitable localities, in Italy throughout the winter; and Malherbe, who 

 records it (I. c.) from Sicily under the name of Anas mania I, says that it is found in large flocks 

 in the marshes and on the Lake of Lentini. In Sardinia it is stated both by Salvadori and 

 Mr. A. B. Brooke to be " abundant in winter ;" and Mr. C. A. Wright, referring to its occur- 

 rence in Malta, writes (Ibis, 1864, p. 156) as follows: — "The first Maltese specimens I saw of 

 this species were a male and female, which I shot at Fort-Manoel Island, in November 1858. 

 Mr. W. C. P. Medlycott afterwards shot one in Sliema creek, in December 1859. Since then I 

 have almost yearly observed a few individuals in the market." 



In Southern Germany this Duck is found here and there during the breeding-season, but 

 nowhere common. Dr. Anton Fritsch writes (J. f. O. 1872, p. 371) that only a few pairs breed 

 on the larger ponds near Frauenberg and Wittingau, in Bohemia, but that it used formerly to 

 breed also in the vicinity of Pardubitz. Most of these Ducks migrate southwards, he adds, in 

 in October and November. The late Mr. Seidensacher informed me that he had seen and 

 obtained stragglers in October and December near Cilli, in Styria; and Messrs. Danford and 

 Harvie-Brown state (Ibis, 1875, p. 429) that it is "rather common on the lakes of the Mezoseg, 



