Family ANATIDAE. 



Nettion crecca (L.) — Teal. 



(Plate 185, fig. a-b). 

 (Snouckaert: Avifauna Neerlandica, p. 125, No. 299). 



Colour of surface of shell : 



Average dimensions: 

 Average weight of shell : 

 Texture of shell : 

 Shape : 



Nest: 



Down (in bulk): 



Small feathers: 



Site of nest: 

 Number of eggs : 

 Breeding season : 

 Duration of incubation : 

 ♦Remarks: 



ranges from cream colour to pale brownish 

 yellow, frequently with a greenish tint. 

 Usually more yellowish than that of Q. 

 qucrqiiedula. (See subjoined remarks).* 



44.5 X 32.5 millimetres. 



about 1.8 gram. 



fine and smooth. 



usually elliptical; sometimes oval. 



consists of vegetable materials, lined with 

 down. 



dark brown (darker than that of Q. qiicrquc- 

 diila), with numerous dull white spots. 



light yellowish, with broad dark spots extend- 

 ing almost to the top. 



on the ground among reeds, sedge, heather, etc. 



usually 8—10 (sometimes more). 



May. 



about 23 days. 



N. crecca and Q. (/Hfrr/ucrf(//o are particularly 

 closely allied oologically. Hantzscii ') even 

 goes so far as to say of A^. crccf a, without 

 any exception: „Die Eier sind von solchen 

 „von Qucrqiiedula qucrqucdula, weder in 

 „frischem, noch ausgeblasenem Zustande 

 „mit Sicherheit zu unterscheiden. Die Fiir- 

 „bung is durchaus nicht maszgebend. Ob- 

 „wohl haufig lebhaft gelbliche Excmplare 

 „vorkommen, variiert der Ton sogar in 

 „deinselben, sicher von einem Weibchen 

 ..herriihrenden Gelege bis zuni ausgespro- 

 „chenen Oriinlich. Solchc Exemplare fand 

 „ich besonders zart und diinnschalig". 



') Beitrag zur Keuntnis der Vogelwelt Islands (Berlin, 1905), p. 178. 



