THE POCHARDS. 
1 1 
Such Captain Shelley states that a large flock makes 
hen with their feet patting the water, that it can be 
ina ^ ^ distance of two miles. Mr. Hume gives the follow- 
hmi species : — “ In the water they are at 
Ind^^H swim with great rapidity, and dive marvellously, 
that^^*^’ i^^comes of them is often a puzzle ; the instant 
Unfr’p"^°^"'^^^’ touch the water, they disappear, and not 
oiilv is last you see of them ; at most they 
'vast twice, and then disappear for good. It is a 
stand pursue them ; if they do rise, give them in- 
ine th^ ^ second barrel. If not, you must trust to the dogs pick- 
all in rushes near the margin later in the day when 
seen i^^st dogs will be baffled, and I have 
'vater^"'^*^ skirmishing in weeds and 
coine ^^veral minutes in pursuit of a wounded tyhite-eye, 
spoear^*^^ between his legs and a general crestfallen 
of son^” under the impression that, in consequence 
ohick~ i^'usion, he had been beguiled into hunting a Dab- 
tauehr ^ “""t^.diat from his earliest puppy-hood he had been 
‘‘ T1 ‘^'^"^'tler altogether beneath his notice, 
ohieflv'^^ omnivorous ; no doubt their food 
seeds of °''**^'* vegetable matter — leaves, stems, roots and 
but besi .™®b, sedge, and all kinds of aquatic herbage ; 
Contents have noted at different times, amongst the 
shrimps stomachs, delicate fresh-water shells and 
'"eluding several species of Nenroptera and 
^ have oft^ lan'se, worms, grub.s, and small fishes, 
"lore valu'bl’ ^yh'g up hid in the reeds, waiting for 
them feedin ^ over, watched little parties of 
part of the^r '*^ some tiny, weedy, reed-hedged opening. For 
Pickine sh 'n'^ about, nibbling at the herbage 
puntinualiy insects off the lotus leaves ; but they are 
'ug with a . )'^^Pl^'^'"''ng below the surface, often reappear- 
Pvesent join ; ° ^ bunch of feathery, slimy weed, which all 
^ung tiu^e out” uj). Sometimes they remain a very 
seems an auel I should guess nearly two minutes (it 
keep under mo S^"®'‘ahy they do not, when thus feeding, 
that they fggj *'b''u> say from forty to fifty seconds. I fancy 
Iheir favourite ?'^®^^'’®"bally by day; first, because when in 
aunts, I have invariably found them, when I 
