158 NY ROC A F ERIN A 



The eggs are not characteristic for the species and may be easily confused with 

 those of the Scaup or Tufted Duck. They are dirty greenish or greenish gray in 

 color, with a waxy surface. Sometimes they even have a yellowish tinge and after 

 being blown the greenish tinge seems to disappear entirely. The average dimensions 

 of 110 eggs were 61.4 by 43.7 mm., the maximum and minimum lengths being 08 

 and 57.2 mm., the maximum and minimum breadths 46.5 and 39.2 mm. (Hartert, 

 1920a). They can usually be distinguished from those of the Tufted Duck by the 

 less greenish color and the greater size. Sometimes a few Pochard's eggs are depos- 

 ited in the nest of the common White-eyed Duck. 



The incubation period is twenty -two or twenty -three days, according to Naumann 

 (1896-1905). Millais (1913) gives twenty -four days as the duration of incubation 

 and this seems about right, judging it by other diving ducks. Among seven clutches 

 of eggs hatched by Mr. Wormald the time varied from twenty-three to a little over 

 twenty -five days. An interesting note on the behavior of a female Pochard going on 

 to the nest is given by Mr. Gerald Legge and is quoted by Millais (1913). The bird 

 in question was nesting in confinement and was observed from a distance of about a 

 yard. "Soon she came and sat on the edge of the nest for two minutes, all the time 

 keeping up a gentle crooning to herself. Then she settled down on the nest without 

 uncovering the down from the eggs. After sitting for about one minute she turned 

 half round, and with one leg pushed some of the covering of the eggs to the side and 

 edge of the nest. She then made another half turn on the other side, and pushed 

 more down on to the edge. Both times the movement was effected by stretching her 

 leg out behind, with toes and webs spread." 



The female is a very close sitter both in the wild and when breeding under artificial 

 conditions. Incubating birds may be stroked or almost lifted from the nest by hand. 

 The young leave the nest the day after hatching and slide directly into the water, 

 where they immediately begin to feed on insects and small floating vegetation, such 

 as duck-weed. Millais thinks that they begin to dive of their own accord when only 

 a day or two old, but I know of no other observations on this point. The young of all 

 diving ducks and even of surface-feeders are able to get under water at extremely 

 early ages when alarmed but at exactly what age they begin to dive voluntarily in 

 search of food I do not know. 



Like the young of surface-feeders the ducklings of the Pochard and its relatives 

 utter a peeping noise, which is their only call. 



The male leaves the female soon after she begins to incubate and gradually with- 

 draws from the neighborhood of the nest, just as most of the common surface-feeding 

 ducks of northern regions do. 



Status. It seems that in the early part of the last century, before the complete 

 drainage of the fens, the Pochard was a common breeding bird in England, though 



