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ANAT1D.K. 



fairly to sit on the eggs, and then retires with its com- 

 panions to await tlic season of moulting in some unfre- 

 quented spot, which some ornithologists believe to be 

 the ocean, in consequence of the fact that the male bird 

 is nowhere else found during that season. 



The Tufted Pochard measures seventeen inches in 

 length ; its beak from the forehead one inch seven lines ; 

 the tarsus one inch four lines and a half; the wing eight 

 inches two lines from the carpus to the tip. 



In spring plumage, the adult male has the head and 

 neck, including the tuft or pendant crest, black, with 

 purple and green reflections ; the lower parts of the 

 neck and upper part of the breast are perfectly black ; 

 the back, scapulars, and rump are olive dusky brown ; 

 the wing-coverts, quills, and tail dusky ; the vent is dusky ; 

 the under tail-coverts black ; the lower part of the breast 

 and belly are cream-coloured white ; the speculum white, 

 with a black border along the tips of the feathers ; the 

 beak, legs, and feet are blue ; the tip of the beak and 

 nail is black ; the webs of the feet and claws dusky black ; 

 the eye golden yellow. 



The summer plumage of the male is sooty brown ; the 

 lower part of the breast and sides ochrous yellow ; the centre 

 of the belly white. 



The female is rufous brown, with light edges to the fea- 

 thers ; the feathers surrounding the beak are pale yellow, 

 and the upper mandible is dusky to beyond the nostrils ; 

 the under tail-coverts white, speckled with brown ; the 

 centre of the belly white ; eyes yellow ; beak and feet blue, 

 but paler than in the male ; speculum white ; the tuft 

 on the head is smaller but sufficiently conspicuous. 



The young bird of the year resembles the male in sum- 

 mer; its breast and side-feathers are more distinctly edged 



