J 54 Blue-winged Teal, — Anas discors, 



is white, beautifully crossed with circular, undulating lines of black ; back,, 

 ecapulars, and sides of the breast, white, thickly crossed in the same manner ^ 

 breast elegantly marked with roundish or heart-shaped spots of black, on a 

 pale vinaceous ground, varieg-ated with lighter tints ; belly, white ; sides, 

 waved with undulating lines ; lower part of the vent-feathers, black ; sides 

 of the same, brownish white, or pale reddish cream ; lesser wing-coverts, 

 brown ash ; greater, tipped with reddish cream ; the first five secondaries, 

 deep velvety black, the next five resplendent green, forming the speculum ot 

 beauty spot, which is bounded above by pale buff, below by white, and on 

 each side by deep black ; primaries, ashy brown ; tail, pointed, eighteen 

 feathere, dark drab ; legs and feet, flesh colored. In some, a few circular 

 touches of white appear on the breast near the shoulder of the wing. The 

 windpipe has a small, bony labyi'inth where it separates into the lungs ; the 

 intestines measure three feet six inches, and are very small and tender. 



" The female wants the chestnut bay on the head, and band of rich 

 green through the eye, these parts being dusky white, speckled with black ; 

 the breast is grey brown, thickly sprinkled with blackish, or dark brown ; 

 the back, dark brown, waved with broad lines of brownish white ; wing, 

 nearly the same as in the male. 



" This species is said to breed at Hudson's Bay, and to have fi'om five 

 to seven young at a time. In France, it remains throughout the year, and 

 •builds in April, among the rushes on the edges of the ponds. It has been 

 lately discovered to breed, also, in England, in the mosses about Carhsle. — 

 It is not known to breed in any part of the United States. The Teal is 

 found in the north of Europe as far as Iceland, and also inhabits the Caspian 

 Sea to the south ; extends likewise to China, having been recognised by 

 Latham among some fine drawings of the birds of that country." 



The latter remarks of "Wilson are founded upon his supposition that 

 *Dur species and the European Teal [Anas crecm) are the same species. 



ARTICLE XXY. — On the Blue-winged Teal, {Anas discors.) 



Anas Discors, (Linn) Blue-winged Teal. 



•Specific Characters. — Mole, head blackish, glossed with green and 



'purple, a cres'cent of white in front of the eye ; back brownish 



black, with semi-oval spots of broivnish white; sides and 



belly greyish, brown, barred and spotted luith dnsky ; some of 



the wing coverts blue ; general appearance greyish ,- speculum 



green; bill bluish black; feet dull yellow. Female, head 



dusky slate, and without the purple and violet of the male. 



Male, 16-311:^; Female, 15-24. Inhabits United States 



and British Territories. Breeds in the north. 



The blue-winged teal is seldom seen here until late in the season, and 



then only in limited numbers. It is nearly as large as the wood-duck, 



«lthou^h much shorter in the body and neck. They are generally seen jo 



