2*2 British Diving Ducks 
Generally busy feeding at night, they like to rest and sleep a great part of the day 
with bill tucked into the shoulder feathers. In this attitude they remain for hours half 
asleep, but not so soundly that they avoid using their feet to maintain their position in 
the same spot. 
It has often struck me, in watching a flock of Pochards, that there is always an 
unusual preponderance of males, and a party can usually be recognised at a considerable 
distance by the red heads and shining lead-blue bills of the males. Females and young 
are always more difficult to distinguish from other ducks owing to their more uniform 
colour. With their feet so far to the rear they walk with a decided roll, keeping the body 
in a fairly vertical position. But when standing still or taking alarm ashore, they raise the 
breast and assume a somewhat upright attitude. They never stay long on land, on which 
they appear to be little at home, but on the water they are expert swimmers and quick in all 
their movements. They swim deep, with the tail trailing in the water, and when engaged 
in diving further sink the body, depress the tail under water, and even allow the water to 
wash over the mantle. 
In diving, their leg-push is powerful and creates a considerable swirl after the bird 
passes out of sight. The bird swims rapidly to the bottom and probes in every direction 
for food, staying under as long as a minute, and then floating quickly to the surface with 
legs stationary on either side. Generally they come to the top in very nearly the same 
place at which they have dived. Nearly all their food is swallowed where it is found, but I 
have seen them bring fish to the surface, where it is passed across the bill several times 
until rendered soft enough to swallow whole. Certain roots are also treated in the same 
fashion. Naumann states that Pochards can remain under water for nearly three 
minutes." This may be possible, but I have never timed one, even in confinement, to stay 
so long beneath the water. 
Their flight is rapid and " scurrying." The wings, not being large, have to be beaten 
quickly to bear the weight of the body, and the pace is not very swift. It is accompanied 
by a rushing sound ; the birds fly very close together in a somewhat compact mass. When 
high in the air they often assume a V-formation, as if desirous of being led by some ex- 
perienced individual, and the whole flock sometimes indulge in a remarkable " header," 
or plunge from the sky down to some sheet of water where they wish to alight. They 
cannot rise easily from the water unless there is a considerable breeze, and sometimes scurry 
along the surface for some distance before getting under weigh. They also alight on the 
water somewhat clumsily. In the air they are readily recognised by the large head, body, 
and feet, short stumpy tail, and short wings. Although this duck may be said to be 
cautious on large sheets of water, it is not a difficult bird to approach even in large flocks, 
especially in a small sailing-boat, and this may be due to its disinclination to fly, especially 
as it must come upwind towards the point of disturbance. I have sailed right in amongst 
Pochards and Scaup in October before putting them to flight. On small ponds they show 
even greater tameness, and, if undisturbed, will often consort with pinioned birds and tame 
species, and soon become as tame as domestic ducks. There are many instances of wild 
Pochards joining domesticated ducks, and remaining with them for months. 
I have never found Pochards on the sea in Scotland except during hard frosts. A few 
days of io° below freezing-point and I was certain to find Pochards on the Moray Firth, 
