PINTAIL, 



45 



are his most distinctive character, but his long neck and high 

 forehead give him a somewhat misleading short-billed appear- 

 ance. A narrow white stripe passes down each side of his long 

 neck, starting at the back of the face and extending to and 

 joining the pure white breast and under parts ; the rich brown 

 of the head and upper neck throw this streak into prominence, 

 and it catches the eye, even when the bird is at a distance. 

 The pointed tail of the duck is shorter, but her speckled head 

 and slender neck, and long narrow wings give her character in 

 flight. Immigration begins in September, but it is seldom until 

 October that any appear in the Dee and Mersey ; to both these 

 estuaries the bird is a regular and sometimes common visitor. 

 Most appear to leave the west coast in March, but on the east 

 coast they have been recorded so late as May. November to 

 January are the months of greatest abundance. Though un- 

 common far inland, the Pintail is partial to fresh water near 

 the shore, and is frequently lured into decoy pipes ; in one west 

 coast decoy it is, in some years, captured in greater numbers 

 than the Mallard. It is, however, a shy and cautious fowl, 

 spoiling the sport of the fowler, straining its long neck over 

 the low banks and sighting his approach. 



The Pintail is quick on the wing, pulling ahead of its 

 companions. Mallards and Wigeon, and its pinions move with 

 unusual rapidity. On the water it is buoyant and graceful, 

 carrying its tail slightly elevated. It certainly often feeds 

 by day, though it has been described as nocturnal, and when it 

 tips its body and immerses head and neck to secure food from 

 the bottom, the long tail is depressed as if to preserve the 

 balance. Crustaceans and molluscs are eaten, but its main 

 food is vegetable ; it will visit the stubbles for grain. As a rule 

 it is a quiet bird, though it has a quack of alarm, and a low 

 chuckle when undisturbed, but during courtship it utters a 

 musical double guuck, quuck, which Mr. J. A. Uockray aptly 

 describes as " violin-like notes." The courtship of the Pintail, 



