SOUTHERN POCHARD 227 



Food Value. The flesh is not considered good, at least, in South Africa. "It is 

 a poor fowl to eat, tasting strongly of mud; but as my office staff apparently thought 

 them good, I usually shot these birds when possible," writes Horsbrugh. The same 

 writer says that when they are driven over the guns at the end of one of the big 

 artificial lakes in South Africa some fine sporting shots were obtained. I tasted a 

 good few shot on Lake Chahafi and Lake Muanda in southwestern Uganda and I 

 think they were just about as good as the Yellow-billed Ducks from the same waters. 



Behavior rx Captivity. The Southern Pochard was brought to England at an 

 early date. A single female was purchased by the London Gardens from the Knows- 

 ley Collection in 1851 and lived many years there. Bolle (1S56) mentions it in the 

 Gardens during his visit in 1856. I know of no others ever imported. 



Hybrids. No hybrids between this and other ducks have ever come to my 

 notice. 



