361 





NATURAL HISTORY. 



. (Lat.) 



Crccca, the Teal. 



The TEAL is the smallest of our ducks. It frequently 

 breeds in England, mostly choosing the northern lakes for that 

 purpose. Its flight is exceedingly rapid, soon carrying it out 

 of the reach of gun-shot. It chooses night for its feeding- 

 time, and during the day conceals itself under the herbs that 

 fringe the banks of the water where it has chosen its habita- 

 tion. Its nest is also carefully placed among dense herbage, 

 and contains from eight to twelve whitish eggs. 



The delicacy of its flesh is well known, and it therefore 

 figures on most well-furnished tables. 



THE EIDER DUCK. 



The EIDER DUCK furnishes the celebrated down in such 

 request for pillows and beds. It is a singular fact, that the 

 down must be plucked from the bird when living, as it seems 

 to lose its peculiar elasticity and softness when taken from 

 the bird after its death. The down is plucked by the bird 

 itself from its breast, for the purpose of lining its nest, which 



