The Pochard or great red-headed Wigeotii Ornas fera fufca.1
Numb. XCVIII.
T T S Weight was thirty three Ounces; its Length, from the Tip of
the Bill to the End of.the Claws, was twenty one Inches; Breadth,,
when the Wings were extended, was thirty two Inches. It is bigger
than the common Wigeon> and for its Bignefs ihorter and thicker.
The leffer covert Feathers of the Wings, and thofe on the middle of the
Back, are moft elegantly variegated with dark brown and cinereous
waved Lines: the Rump and Feathers under the Tail are black, fo that
the Tail is encompailed with a Ring of black, the lower part of the
Neck is like wife black: the Head and almoft the whole Neck, are of a
deep fulvous or red Colour ; the middle part of the Breaft, and lower part
of the Belly, are of the iame Colour with the Back, and varied with the
like undulated Lines, but both the Colours paler; towards the Vent it
is by degrees darker coloured; the Tail is very fhort, not exceeding two
Inches, made up of twelve Feathers, of a^dark grey; the outmoft the
ihortefl:, the reft gradually longer to the midd'lemoft; yet the Excefs is
not conliderable, fo that notwithstanding it is not to be reckoned among;
thofe that have iharp Tails. The Quill-Feathers of the Wings' are about
twenty five all of one Colour, viz. a dark cinereous or Airt-colour; the
interiour or baftard Wing, and leffer covert Feathers of the under fide o f
the Wings are white: the Bill is bigger and broader than in ihtWigeon;
the Feathers divide the middle of the upper Mandible, coming down
from the Forehead in Form of a Peak or acute Angle; the upper
Mandible is of a lead Colour, but its Tip black, the nether is wholly
black,, the Irides of the Eyes are yellow, the Feet lead-coloured, the
Membranes connecting the Toes blackilh, the inmoft Toe the leaft,.
having a membranous Border annexed to its outfide, the back Toe hath-
an Appendant Membrane or Fin.
The charadteriftick Note of this Bird is one uniform Colour of its
Wing, without any Feathers of different Colours in the Middle of the
Wings, as is ufual in moft Birds of this Kind.