222 British Birds^ 



district for instance, as well as in Romney Marsh and 

 other places more in the south of the island. At 

 present it has become comparatively rare. Tlie nest 

 is made of fine grass, and the eggs are eventually en- 

 veloped in down procured from the bird's own breast. 

 The eggs may be from eight to twelve in number* 

 white, tinged with a greenish-dun shade, and about 

 2 inches long by IJ broad. 



PINTAIL WC}QK—{Dafila acuta; formerly, 



Anas aaitci). 



Cracker, Winter Duck. — An early visitor to our 

 shores when winter has once urged the wild fowl 

 hosts to leave their northern nesting-places. It is 

 not, however, a numerous bird with us, but abounds 

 in many of the northernmost countries of Europe. 



TEAL — {Querquedida crecca ; ioxvu^xXy ^ Anas creccd). 



A very pretty little Duck, and the least of all our 

 winter visitors of that species. It is of common 

 occurrence, but not met with in any great numbers. 

 It breeds abundantly in Norway and Sweden, and 

 especially in Lapland, whither the great bulk of our 

 winter friends retire on the approach of the northern 

 summer; still, pairs often remain throughout the 

 summer in various parts of our country to nest and reai" 

 their young. When I was a boy I heard of nests, al- 

 most annually, on some of the marshes I knew most 

 familiarly; and I have known of many broods 

 hatched and reared on these North Riding moors. 

 The Teal builds a nest of abundance of different 



