BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 399 



a great extent of the western and northern wilderness. 

 Though often contiguous to the sea they have no predilec- 

 tion for visiting the shores, feeding chiefly on vegetables and 

 insects, and particularly on the Zizania or Wild Rice which 

 abounds in the North Western lakes and sluggish streams. 

 They are much esteemed as game, and commonly be- 

 come very fat. Their note, somewhat like a diminutive 

 quack, is uttered low and somewhat rapid. 



The length of the Blue-Winged Teal is about 18 inches ; the folded 

 wing 7 inches 3 lines; the. bill above, 1 inch 7^ lines, the tarsus 1 

 inch 2 lines. In the male the upper surface of the head, and under 

 tail coverts are brownish-black. A broad white crescent from the 

 forehead to the chin, bordered all round with black ; sides of the 

 head and adjoining half of the neck bright lavender-purple ; base of 

 the neck above, back, tertiaries, and tail coverts, brownish and black- 

 ish-green. The fore parts, including the shorter scapulars, margined 

 and marked with semi-ovate pale brown bars ; longer scapulars 

 longitudinally striped with blackish-green, berlin-blue, and pale 

 brown. Lesser wing coverts pure pale blue ; greater coverts white, 

 their bases brown. Speculum dark green. Primaries, their coverts, 

 and the tail, liver-brown. Sides of the rump, longer under wing 

 coverts, and axillary feathers, pure white. The under plumage pale 

 reddish-orange, glossed with chestnut on the breast, and thickly 

 marked throughout with round blackish spots, which on the breast 

 and tips of the long flank feathers change to bars. Bill bluish- 

 black. Feet yellow. 



The female is without the white patches on the sides of the rump, 

 the crescent before the eye, and the rich purple tint on the head and 

 neck. The upper plumage is also browner, and the pale bars are 

 less distinct and handsome. The under plumage is white and brown, 

 with irregular blotches of a darker color, instead of round spots. 

 The wings as in the male. The young birds are without the green 

 speculum, and in other respects are like the female. 



