GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 411 



by its unvermiculated white belly, reddish purple gloss on the 

 neck, and by having no black at the base of the bill. The world- 

 famous Canvasback {F. vallisneria) of North America is some- 

 what closely allied to the Pochard. 



Time during which the Pochard may be taken.— August 



1st to March ist (March 15th in Essex). 



Habits. — The Pochard is best known as a winter visitor to 

 the British Islands, arriving in October and leaving in March 

 and April. These dates also correspond very well with the bird's 

 arrival in and departure from India, although it is a few weeks 

 later in the extreme southern limits of its distribution there. 

 Although met with commonly enough in our islands on the 

 coast in winter, in other localities it is almost exclusively confined 

 to fresh water during that season. In India it prefers reedy 

 meres and broads of moderate depth, where there is a con- 

 siderable breadth of open water. Here it congregates in vast 

 flocks, often covering acres of water in extent. Like its con- 

 geners the Pochard is a thorough water bird, spending most of 

 its time swimming and diving. It is comparatively rarely seen 

 on land, where it walks in an awkward, waddling manner, but 

 in the water it is the embodiment of easy grace, swimming rapidly, 

 if rather low, diving with as much skill as a Grebe or an Auk, 

 or chasing its companions in sportive mood under and above 

 the surface. Its flight is rather quick when once the bird gets 

 fairly under weigh, but at first its movements are rather slow and 

 laboured, and it rises with some apparent difficulty, against 

 wind if possible, the wings making a very characteristic rustle as 

 they rapidly beat the air. The Pochard feeds both by day and 

 by night, but perhaps the most regularly and persistently during 

 the latter. As is usual with many other species of Duck, a 

 considerable flight is often undertaken at dusk by birds frequenting 

 waters where food is not very plentiful to waters better stocked. 

 This Pochard obtains the greater part of its food by diving and 

 bringing up masses of weeds which are eaten after they are 

 brought to the surface. It is principally a vegetable feeder, 

 and water weeds and marine plants its favourite fare. It also 

 eats considerable numbers of insects, worms, small fresh-water 

 shells, and young frogs ; and when frequenting the coast, crus- 



