THE BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 775 



of prime pattern; head, neck, and underparts dull buffy or pale brownish buff; 

 the first two finely streaked, save on chin and upper throat, the last variously 

 spotted and marked with dusky, lightening on belly ; back and scapulars brownish 

 dusky, blackening on longer feathers, narrowly edged with light brownish. 

 Young: "Similar to adult female, but whole belly immaculate, and speculum 

 dull grayish brown without metallic gloss" (Ridgw. ). Length 14.50-16.00 

 (368.3-406.4); av. of six males: wing 7.34 (186.4); tail 2.60 (66); bill 1.60 

 (40.6)-; tarsus 1.20 (30.5). 



Recognition Marks. — "Teal" size; white facial crescent of male; grayish 

 blue wing-coverts distinctive ( except from the following which is otherwise quite 

 difterent ). 



Nesting. — Nest: of grasses, etc., lined with feathers, on the ground. Eggs: 

 6-12, greenish white, or dull huffy. Av. size, i.8ox 1.28 (45.7x32.5). Season: 

 c. June 1st; one brood. 



General Range. — North America in general, but chiefly eastward ; north to 

 Alaska, and south to the West Indies, Lower California, and northern South 

 America. Casual in California. Breeds from Kansas and southern Illinois 

 northward. 



Range in Washington. — Not common summer resident and migrant east of 

 the Cascades ; rare or casual during migrations on the West-side. 



Authorities. — (Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Biddle : Coues. 

 Vol. II. p. 105- 1 ["Blue-winged teal," Tohnson, Rep. Gov. W. T. 1884 

 (1885 ) 2^^.] R^oads, Auk, N. Jan. i8.)3, p. 17. Rh. B. E. 



Specimens. — Prov. E? 



THIS little duck, known sometimes as the White-faced Teal, is among 

 ihe rarest of our Washington water-fowl. Altho somewhat larger than the 

 Green-wing, it is not so cold-pn^of as that hardy little bird, for at the first 

 intimation of winter e\-ery Blue-wing promptly leaves for a more balmy 

 climate. Early October is as late as we are likely to find them in the fall, and 

 they seldom return to us from the South much before the middle of the fol- 

 lowing April. At these seasons a very few ma\- be found in our fresh-water 

 marshes and inland ponds, for this Teal is not a lover of salt water and is 

 seldom to be foiuid in its \-icinity. 



In the eastern states where they are common, the}' find equal favor in the 

 eves of sportsmen with the Green-wing. Like that bird thev are alwavs read\' 

 to come in to a decoy of any kind, and are equally desirable as an addition to 

 the menu. The call note is very similar to the "quack" of the Green-wing; 

 and, in fact, their habits are so largely the same that a detailed account would 

 be a mere reiteration. 



It is highly probable that a few ])airs remain in the eastern part of our 

 State to raise their young, for birds seen at Moses Lake late in May would 

 lead us to that supposition. From North Dakota northward these birds are 

 common summer residents, and during the season of reproduction they seem to 

 lose all sense of fear. A favorite location for the nest is in the long grass 



