306 
deep, that part being usually dusky brown, 
and even often tinged with light brown. 
Sometimes there are spots upon the back 
and sides. 
Temminck observes that the female lays 
twelve or thirteen greenish white eggs. 
The Pochard is of a plump round shape, 
and its walk is heavy, ungraceful and 
waddling ; but when on the wing, it flies 
with greater rapidity than the Mallard, 
and in flocks of from twenty to forty, com- 
monly in a close compact body, whereby 
they may be easily distinguished from the 
triangular shaped flocks of the Wild Duck, 
as well as by the difference of the noise 
made by their wings. 
These birds are met with through the 
whole extent of North America, and are like^ 
wise found on all the great rivers and lakes 
in every latitude of the Russian dominions. 
They leave the northern parts on the ap- 
proach of winter, and migrate southward. 
They arrive in France and England in 
considerable numbers (according to the se- 
verity of the season) in October. Many of 
them are caught in the decoys of Lincoln- 
