THE POCHARDS. 
/ 
Considered to be distinct species. The Pochard has been 
Jiown to cross with the White-eyed Pochard, the Summer 
uck, the Tufted Duck, the Mallard, and the Golden-eye. 
Characters. — Distinguished by its grey back with fine ver- 
l^iculations, and its chestnut head ; the bill is black at the 
^se and tip, the intermediate part being leaden-blue ; wing- 
speculum, ^rcy, 
^a^ge in Qreat Britain. — The Pochard breeds in certain inland 
Waters in England, and, where it is protected, its numbers as a 
nesting-species seem to be on the increase. In Scotland it 
aiM nests, but, as regards Ireland, Mr. R. J. Ussher writes 
^he Pochard has been reported as breeding in Galway, Ros- 
eommon, Westmeath, Meath, and Tipperary, and some pro- 
^bility attaches to several of these instances ; but we still 
^wait complete proof of the Pochard breeding in Ireland.” In 
Winter the species is found in Great Britain from October to 
*ange outside the British Islands. — The Pochard ranges from 
^entral and Southern Europe to Lake Baikal in Eastern 
•oeria, breeding in Russia as high as Lake Ladoga and as far 
°uth as the Caspian sea, as well as in Poland, Germany, and 
enraark, but not to the northward. It occurs in the Mediter- 
winter, at which season it also visits India and China, 
wh' 1? America its place is taken by the American Pochard, 
'ch differs in having a purple gloss on the chestnut of the 
and the bill pale blue, with only the end black. 
jg — Although also frequenting the coasts, the Pochard 
„ P””^'Pally a fresh-water Duck, and in some of its winter 
Q in India, occurs in flocks of thousands. Mr. A. 
ktio excellent notes on wild-fowl are not so well- 
estiiT” country as they ought to be, has given a very inter- 
Irom^ ^^T^^^nnt of his experiences with the Pochard in India, 
in so^*^'^'' ^ following brief extracts. He says that 
water*^^^ P'nces, such as the Sambhar Lake, many acres of 
are i^c seen completely iraved with Pochards. “They 
Their ff^K^'^ swimming and diving Ducks, but walk badly, 
wino- nft heavy until they get well on the 
difficult • i*^ is fairly rapid ; but they rise with some 
y in perfectly calm weather. They swim very rapidly 
