File:Indian sporting birds (1915) (14563912278).jpg

Identifier: indiansportingbi00finn (find matches)
Title: Indian sporting birds
Year: 1915 (1910s)
Authors: Finn, Frank, 1868-1932 Hume, Allan Octavian, 1829-1912 Marshall, Charles Henry Tilson, 1841-
Subjects: Birds -- India Game and game-birds -- India
Publisher: London : Francis Edwards
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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striking magpiecoloration, black in front and behind and white in the middle ;the back, indeed, is black as well as the breast, but the broadwhite flanks are what catch the eye as the bird swims. Thefemale is dark brown with a much shorter crest, and seldomshows any white above the water-line. On the wing both sexes show as small dark ducks withnearly white wings, and at a distance may be easily confusedwith the white-eye, but differ somewhat m habits and choice oflocation. Young birds of the year are dull light brown, very likeyoung white-eyes, but may be distinguished, if the crest andthe characteristic yellow eye of this species has not developed,by the much shorter and broader beak, especially wide at thetip. Although a small duck, the tufted is bigger than the white-eyed pochard, being broader built and averaging about half apound heavier. In spite of this, however, it is the most activeflyer of all the common pochards, getting sharply off the water * Fuligida cristata on plate.
Text Appearing After Image:
\— <£. i— cc <c _J ID TUFTED POCHAED 33 and flying fast and without undue effort. Its ways may bestudied to perfection within a hundred yards or so of the IndiaOfhce, for in St. Jamess Park it lives and breeds in completeliberty, and specimens visit all the London waters. In India it is a winter visitor only, and extends east toManipur and Burma, but not further south in India than NorthCoimbatore. It was very connnonly brought into the CalcuttaBazaar in my time, but could not compare in numbers with thewhite-eyed pochard, which was by far the commonest diving-duck to be met with there, and commoner than any of themigrant ducks except garganey and common teal. I may hereobserve that the light brown colour here attributed to youngtufted pochards may indicate a special Eastern race, or moreprobably be due to fading under bright sunlight, for thosehatched in England fledge off as dark as the old female. I have,however, seen two young English drakes which had assumed astheir fi

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