232 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Diagnostic characters : The eggs of the Wigeon 

 never show any trace of olive in their colouration, so 

 cannot easily be confused with those of other species. 

 They somewhat closely resemble those of the Gadwall, 

 but are a trifle larger ; the down, however, serves 

 to distinguish them, and is sooty-brown with distinct 

 white tips. 



Family ANATIDJJ. Genus Anas. 



Sub-family ANATINAl. 



COMMON TEAL. 



Anas crecca, Linncens. 

 Single Brooded. Laying season, May. 



British breeding area: The Common Teal is 

 locally distributed throughout the British Islands, but 

 becomes rarer in the Hebrides, the Orkneys, and the 

 Shetlands. So far as the mainland is concerned this 

 Duck is certainly commoner in the eastern and northern 

 counties of England than in the southern and ^vestern 

 counties, and is even more so in Scotland. In Ireland 

 it is also locally but fairly well dispersed. 



Breeding habits : The individual Teals that breed 

 with us may or may not be resident in our islands ; and 

 the question is somewhat difficult to decide, for great 

 numbers of this species visit us in autumn from more 

 northern localities. The nesting haunts of this charm- 

 ing little species are the margins of ponds and small 

 lakes, especially such that are situated in swamps or 

 marshy country, and where the shore is fringed with a 

 good growth of reeds, flags, iris, and other coarse vege- 

 tation. I am of opinion that this Duck pairs for life 



