32 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



The Strikingly beautiful plumage of the drake Garganey 

 (Plate 1 8) cannot be confused with that of the Teal, a bird of 

 about the same size. The noticeable features of the drake are 

 the broad white stripe, shown up by a dark crown, which passes 

 from above the eye in a graceful curve to the nape, and the blue 

 shoulders, blue as in the Shoveler. Indeed, from a distance the 

 whole wing appears to be blue-grey ; I have noticed this on birds 

 on the wing as well as on the ground. Long pointed black and 

 white feathers droop over the wing, and one commanding 

 character is that the warm brown of the breast ends abruptly 

 and does not shade into the white of the abdomen. A metallic 

 green speculum, often concealed by the grey thanks, is bounded 

 by white bars, also present in the duck, though the speculum 

 itself lacks lustre. The brown duck has less character, but as 

 she usually travels with her mate he does the advertising. Pale 

 edgings to her feathers, however, give her a much lighter 

 appearance than the duck Teal. 



The migratory Garganey is often called the " Summer Teal" ; 

 it usually reaches the Kentish coast in March, and, according 

 to Dr. N. F. Ticehurst, departs about August. In habits it 

 differs little from other surface-feeders, but is certainly not 

 exclusively nocturnal. On the wing it is even swifter than the 

 Teal ; I noticed this particularly in breeding birds in Norfolk. 

 In flight the wings look lightish, but do not show clean patches 

 or bars as do those of the Goldeneye and Tufted Duck. When 

 scared it springs clear from the water with the agility and 

 velocity of the Teal. Several observers assert th^t the bird 

 sits high in the water, swimming buoyantly, but this has not 

 impressed me ; not infrequently it swims low, and with neck 

 extended " bibbles " along the surface like the feeding Shoveler, 

 a bird with which it has much in common. More animal 

 than vegetable matter is consumed, and in addition to 

 crustaceans and aquatic insects it has been known to catch 

 small fish. Although both sexes have a sharp quack, it is 



