146 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



fresh-water, bordered by dense aquatic vegetation, is admirably adapted to their 

 requirements, and I should never be surprised to hear of a pair remaining to nest 

 in so likely a locality. 



The distribution in Europe is peculiar, for it is not known to nest north of 

 the Baltic or in Denmark proper. There is evidently no migration from the north 

 across Heligoland, as only one example is known to have occurred there in fifty 

 years. Mr. Ernest Hartert says it is not uncommon in East Prussia in summer, 

 and eggs may be got by the middle of May. It is represented amongst the Ducks 

 in the Archangel Museum. In Central Europe it nests in several localities; in 

 Transylvania a great many occur on passage in the middle of May, and some 

 probably remain to nest. It is resident and breeding in Turkey, and other 

 countries on the northern side of the Mediterranean. In Spain the White-eyed 

 Pochard nests regularly in the lower marshes of the Guadalquivir. Colonel Irby 

 records it as common in some parts of the marismas, commencing to nest about 

 the end of April. ' Mr. A. Chapman found it numerous in April in the reed beds 

 bordering the lakes in the Coto de Donana, but failed to get the eggs, 

 ("Ibis," 1884, p. 78). Lord Lilford, however, had obtained the eggs from this same 

 locality in May, 1872. It occasionally wanders as far as the Canaries. In Sicily 

 it is one of the commonest breeding species. In Sardinia, according to Mr. A. 

 B. Brooke, it appears to be very rare. 



On the African side of the Straits it is common and resident in Morocco, 

 and equally so in Algiers and Tunis. In Egypt it is not recorded as breeding. 

 Colonel Shelley says, (" Birds of Egypt," p. 288), it ranges through Egypt and 

 Nubia, and is very plentiful on the large lakes of the Fayoom and Lower Egypt. 

 On Birket-el-Karun, he used daily to see thousands together near the centre of the 

 lake; when disturbed they rose with a running flight, striking the water rapidly 

 with their feet, and in so doing making a noise which might be distinctly heard 

 a couple of miles distant. 



Dr. F. H. H. Guillemard found it in Cyprus, in February. The most 

 southerly range, of the Nyroca is Ceylon ; also Madagascar where it has a local 

 name. The White- eyed Duck is very common in the valleys of the 

 Kuban and Terek in the Caucasus. It is resident and breeding in Ferghana ; also 

 on lakes on the Pamir. At Gilgit it occurs on passage in spring and autumn. 

 In Afghanistan, next to, the Gadwall, Lieut. Col. C. Swinhoe (" Ibis," 82, p. 125) 

 records it as the commonest Duck in the country, arriving early in February, and 

 some appearing to breed in the country. He has flushed them in pairs from 

 reeds and tamarisk on the banks of the water-courses in the Pisheen, and right 

 down the Bolan, as far as Kirka, in May. 



