40 EGGS OF BEITISH BIRDS. 



THE COMMON TEAL. 

 (Anas crecca.)* 



Plate 16, Fig. 3. 



The Teal is a local resident throughout the British Islands, 

 and breeds sparingly in suitable localities in almost every part, 

 but is more common in the northern districts than in the southern, 

 It is an Arctic and semi- Arctic Duck, confined to the Old World, 

 except that it is an accidental visitor on migration to Greenland 

 and the Atlantic coasts of North America. It is a regular summer 

 visitor to Iceland, and passes the Faroes on migration. It breeds 

 in great numbers throughout Northern Europe and Asia as far 

 north as lat. 70°. 



The nest resembles that of most other Ducks, and contains 

 from eight to ten bumsh-white or cream-coloured eggs, in very 

 rare instances with the faintest possible tinge of green, which 

 vary in length from 1'8 to 1"6 inch, and in breadth from 1*4 to 1'3 

 inch. As a rule they are slightly smaller than those of the 

 Garganey ; but they can only be distinguished with certainty by 

 the down, which is small and without any white tips, and scarcely 

 distinguishable from that of the Long-tailed Duck, except that it 

 is slightly darker and not of so warm a brown. 



THE AMEBIC AN TEAL. 



(Anas carolinensis.)\ 



The American Teal is often called the American Green-winged 

 Teal, to distinguish it from the so-called American Blue-winged 

 Teal, which is not a Teal but a Garganey. It is admitted into 

 the British list because it has occurred twice, and possibly three 

 times, in our islands. The distribution of the American Teal on 

 that continent is very similar to that of the Common Teal in 

 Europe and Asia. Its principal breeding-grounds are in the 

 Arctic Eegions from Alaska to Greenland, whence it migrates in 

 autumn to winter in the Southern States, Mexico, Central 

 America, and the West Indies. The habits of the American Teal 



* Querquedida crecca — Saunders, Manual, p. 419. Nettion crecca— Sharpe, 



Handb., II., p. 283. 



\ Querquedida carolinensis — Saunders, Manual, p. 421. Nettion carolinense — 



Sharpe, Handb., II., p. 280. 



