GADWALL TEAL. 63 



broadly edged with light red. The wing-coverts brownish- 

 grey, edged with paler ; the wing as in the male, but with 

 the speculum paler. The tail-feathers are dusky, obliquely 

 barred with pale white, and narrowly edged with reddish- 

 white. The lower parts are light reddish, with dusky white. 



The scapulars and inner secondaries are less elongated 

 than in the male, as are the middle tail-feathers. 



Length to end of tail 19 inches ; extent of wings 30 ; 

 wing from flexure 9^ ; tail 3f ; bill along the ridge 1^ ; 

 tarsus 1-j^ ; middle toe 1^, its claw -f^. 



Variations. — Great diiferences as to size occur, as in the 

 Pintail. 



Habits. — The Gadwall can scarcely be considered as a 

 regular winter visitant, it being very seldom met with near 

 the eastern coast of England, and that chiefly in spring ; nor 

 has it hitherto occurred in Scotland, except in the Montrose 

 Basin, the neighbourhood of Peterhead, and the islands of 

 Sanday and Orkney. Several specimens have been obtained 

 in Ireland. It is said by authors to be plentiful in the 

 marshes in the northern parts of Europe. M. Temminck says 

 it is " very abundant in Holland, where it lives in the same 

 places as the common Wild Duck." In winter it advances 

 southward, dispersing along the coasts. 



It is equally a native of North America, occurring, accor- 

 ding to M. Audubon, both along the coasts and in the interior. 

 According to that enthusiastic naturalist, it " dives well on 

 occasion, especially on being wounded. At the appearance of 

 danger, it rises on wing, whether from the ground or from the 

 water, at a single spring, in the manner of the Mallard, and, 

 like it also, ascends almost perpendicularly for several yards, 

 after which it moves ofl" in a direct course with great celerity. 

 I have never seen it dive on seeing the flash of a gun ; but 

 when approached it always swims to the opposite part of the 

 pond, and, when the danger increases, flies off". On being 

 wounded, it sometimes by diving makes its escape among the 

 grass, where it squats and remains concealed. It walks with 

 ease, and prettily, often making incursions upon the land. 



