668 AVES — TEAL... .WIDGEON. 



THE TEAL. 1 



This is the smallest bird of the duck kind ; it is common iu England in 

 the winter months ; and some imagine that it breeds there as well as it does 

 in France. It does not usually weigh more than twelve ounces; and it 

 measures about sixteen inches from the point of the bill to the tip of the 

 tail, and from the extremity of each wing, when extended, nearly two feet. 

 The bill is of a dark brown color, the head is considerably lighter, inclining 

 to a bay, with a large white stripe over each eye, bending downwards, to- 

 wards the back part of the head ; the back and sides under the wings are 

 curiously varied with lines of white and black. The breast is of a dirty 

 colored yellow, interspersed with dusky transverse lines ; the belly more 

 bright, with yellowish brown spots ; the quill feathers of the wings are 

 of a dusky brown, with white edges; the covert feathers appear of a 

 fine shining green, with their tips white; the scapular feathers are more 

 inclining to an ash color; the legs and feet are brown, the claws black. 

 These birds feed on cresses, chervil, and other weeds, and also on seeds 

 and some kinds of water insects. The flesh is a great delicacy, and has a 

 less fishy taste than any other of the wild duck tribe. 



The female constructs her nests of reeds interwoven with grass, and is 

 said to make it among rushes, that it may rise or fall with the varying 

 height of the water. 



THE WIDGEON. 2 



This bird weighs about twenty-two ounces ; it has a black nail at the 

 end of the upper mandible of the bill, the other part of which is of a lead 

 color ; the structure of the head and mouth very much resembles the com- 

 mon wild duck, only the head does not seem to be quite so large, in propor- 



1 Anas crecca, Lin. 2 Anas Penelope, Lin. 



