320 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



{juv. (J) slate-blue-black lighter towards nail ; legs and feet (ad. ^) 

 black marked greenish-yellow, (ad. ?) greenish -grey, webs black, 

 (juv. (J) lead-blue with greenish shade ; iris (ad. g) white, (ad. §) 

 brown, (juv. <$) dark brown becoming pearl-grey about March. 



Characters and allied forms. — In N. n. baeri (E. Asia and Japan) 

 adult males have head and neck black glossed green, adult females 

 black-brown glossed dull green. Adult males of N. n. nyroca are 

 easily distinguished from other British Nyroca by bay head, neck 

 and upper-breast, adult females by bay crown, cheeks and sides of 

 neck and juveniles by having feathers of crown tipped bay and 

 flank-feathers tipped russet. 



Field -characters. — White eye of male contrasting with reddish- 

 brown head is infallible guide at close quarters. Warm brown 

 colour, darker on back and shading into bay on breast and flanks 

 with white under tail -coverts identify male on water at distance. 

 Colours of female less pronounced, but white wing-bar, visible in 

 flight or when swimming bird flaps its wings, prevents confusion with 

 female Pochard. In both sexes silky- white under -parts shading into 

 grey on abdomen are evident in flight. A freshwater duck of shy 

 and retiring habits, affects pools in marshes and swamps, particu- 

 larly if overgrown with vegetation, rather than open water. Call a 

 harsh, sharp " kek, kek, kek " (Witherby). 



Breeding-habits. — Haunts still lagoons and backwaters over- 

 grown with aquatic plants. Nest. — In thick cover, clumps of sedge, 

 rushes or rank vegetation not far from water, lined vegetable matter 

 and down. Eggs. — 6 or 7 to 14, and once even 20, pale yellowish or 

 buff. Average of 100 eggs, 52.3x38.2. Max. : 62.8x36 and 57 X 

 43. Min. : 48.4x37 and 48.9x33.7 mm. Breeding -season. — 

 Generally from early to late May, sometimes early June. Incuba- 

 tion. — By female only. Period 27-28 days (Blaauw) ; 30 days 

 (Favier). Single brooded. 



Food. — Varied, both animal and vegetable, latter includes seeds 

 and remains of Polygonum, Potamogeton, Nymphcea alba, Carex, 

 Lemna, etc. Animal food includes small fish, worms, small mollusca, 

 insects and larvae such as Odonata and larvae (Libellula and Agrion) 

 Phryganeidae and larvae, coleoptera (Sitones, etc.). 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Rare vagrant. England. — Over fifty 

 recorded from Norfolk and a few Suffolk, Cambs., Notts., Yorks., 

 Northumberland (one), Lanes, (one), Oxon. (four), Essex (one), 

 Kent (two or three), Surrey (one), Sussex (nine), Hants, (a few), 

 Dorset (one), Devon (three), Cornwall (one) Brecon (one), Radnor 

 (one), Montgomery (seven). Carnarvon (one). Scotland. — One or 

 two Firth of Forth and two on Tay. Ireland. — Eight or nine. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in Marocco, Algeria, south, 

 central and east Europe and eastwards to valley of Ob, Turkestan, 

 Kashmir, Pamirs and south Tibet. Winters in Mediterranean 



