164 COMMON TEAL. SHOVELLER. 



QUERQUEDULA CRECCA— Common Teal. 



The noisy Goose, the Teal in blackening trains, 

 The long-bill'd Snipe, that knows approaching rains. 



A. Wilson— iocA Winnoch. 



From the lake has gone the Teal. 



Bennett. 



Immense flocks of Teal visit this country every autumn and 

 winter, returning again, for the most part, in the spring, to breed 

 in more northerly regions. They begin to arrive about the end of 

 September, and continue to come in successive flocks throughout 

 the winter. They frequent the coasts, and almost all inland lakes, 

 pools, rivers, and streams. Great numbers are caught in the 

 decoys all through the winter, and they meet with a ready sale, for 

 they are considered one of the best Wild-Fowl for the table. 



The Teal is the smallest of all the Wild Ducks. It is very 

 prettily marked, and is easily kept in confinement, and it is therefore 

 always in request for ornamental pieces of water. It is common as 

 a winter visitor, on the rivers of Herefordshire, and specimens are 

 killed here annually by the early winter sportsmen. 



[QuERQUEDULA CAROLiNENSis — American Green-winged Teal.] 

 Once in Devon, and once in Hampshire. 



Genus— SPATULA. 

 SPATULA CLYPEATA— Shoveller. 



The Sho'ler, who so shakes the air with sailing wings, 

 That even as he flies, you still would think he sings. 



Drayton— Polyolbion . 



The Broad-billed Duck is rather an inland than a sea-bird, 



frequenting stagnant pools, ditches and small lakes. Its food 



consists of small fishes, worms, leeches, aquatic insects, fish 



and frog spawn, tadpoles, ground-worms, fresh-water snails, the 



tender shoots of aquatic plants, grasses, buds and seeds of rushes, 



and sometimes grain. Fresh-water shrimps, too, are sometimes 



found in its stomach. 



