﻿RED-HEADED POCHARD. 141 



as well as diver. Its walk on terra Jirma is by no means 

 a favourite pastime ; nor is it very becoming, as it can 

 only be called a waddle or forced exhibition, and is so 

 slow that if the bird has been winged, it requires little 

 exertion to overtake and catch it. 



The food of the present species consists principally in 

 roots of water-plants, stalks and young shoots, which it dives or 

 searches for in muddy shallows about the edges of the water ; 

 small frogs, insects, and small fry are occasionally its food, 

 and also the seeds and blossoms of most aquatic plants 

 in their proper season. 



The principal breeding-localities of the Red-headed 

 Pochard are to be found about the sixtieth degree of lati- 

 tude, but not further north : many pairs of this species 

 remain to breed in the south-eastern parts of Russia and 

 Germany, on lakes and ponds where rushes grow in great 

 quantities. The nest is always placed among the rushes 

 on the side farthest from the land: patches of rushes, entirely 

 surrounded by water, are the most preferable spots. In a 

 locality that suits the fancy of this species, great numbers 

 of nests are placed near each other, although each nest is 

 placed out of sight of the others by intervening patches of 

 rushes : where beds of rushes are wanting, osier-beds and 

 grassy meadows frequently answer the purpose. 



About the end of April the Red-headed Pochards pair ; 

 there are no quarrels between the male birds, for the female is 

 said to choose her own mate ; and the pair remain inseparable, 

 and do not quit the spot until the young brood are hatched 

 and ready to follow them towards the larger lakes, &c, 

 where they consider them out of danger. 



The eggs vary from eight to thirteen in number, and are 

 in size and shape as represented in our plate. 



The Red-headed Pochard measures about nineteen inches ; 



