UUEKQUEDULA. TEAL. 47 



Plumage dense, soft, and blended ; feathers of the head 

 and upper neck short, of the other parts moderate, ovate, or 

 oblong ; scapulars elongated and acuminate. Wings rather 

 long, narrow, pointed, of twenty-five quills; primaries narrow, 

 the first and second longest ; inner secondaries elongated and 

 tapering. Tail small, short or of moderate length, tapering, 

 of sixteen stifiish, tapering feathers. 



The males have the scapulars, inner secondaries, and tail- 

 feathers more elongated and acuminate than the females, 

 from which they also differ in having the colours of the 

 plumage more varied. Toward the end of summer the male 

 becomes similar in plumage to the female, but resumes his 

 proper plumage in the beginning of winter. The Teals fre- 

 quent marshes, lakes, and rivers, and feed on vegetable sub- 

 stances, as well as mollusca, insects, w^orms, and other small 

 animals. 



