132 
ANATID.E. 
ail birds of the duck kind, and the bernacle, smell strongly when 
he is skinning them, much more so than in frosty weather ; — 
this applies, also, to gulls generally. The flesh looks much more 
delicate to the eye during frost, the fat being white in cold weather, 
and yellow, or even orange in some species, late in the spring. 
He was once tempted by the delicate appearance of the flesh 
of a gull during frost, to eat of it, and found it good. 
In the winter of 1847-48, a pochard was captured near 
Wexford, when lying on its back upon the surface of the water, 
and its feet in violent motion. When examined, it had no visible 
mark of injury. The gentleman into whose possession this duck 
came, saw it occasionally afterwards attacked so violently with 
what he believed to be cramp, as to be entirely disabled. The 
symptoms being precisely similar to those under which it was 
originally taken, he considers that the bird was captured during 
one of these fits.* 
A wounded pochard refused to partake of oatmeal steeped 
in water, and placed before him, but on his bill being dipped 
into it, he quickly discovered his mistake, and thenceforth ate of 
this food with avidity. I have remarked that these birds, which 
were kept from time to time on the pond at the Tails, were of 
a gentle quiet disposition. 
Audubon remarks that this species is “ equally fond of salt and 
fresh water ” (vol. iv. p. 199). It frequents fresh-water much in 
the north of Ireland, and has been several times, in December and 
January chiefly, brought to me from Lough Neagh. It is partial to 
Bally drain Lake by day, as mentioned under Tufted Duck ; — Nov. 
the 17th, 1832, was noted as early in the season for their appear- 
ance here, when about thirty were seen in company with that 
species. In the following month, both kinds were much more 
January, weighed, the former 2 lbs. 2 oz. ; the latter 1 lb. 10 oz. : the pochard was 
in every respect considerably larger than the scaup ; its length was nineteen, that of 
the scaup seventeen inches. 
The colour of the eyes of the pochard, according to Mr. Darragh, is, in young 
females, dark brown; in old females, yellowish-brown. Young males, red and 
yellow prettily mixed ; and in old males bright red. 
* Mr. J. Poole. 
