142 



British Birds. 



Siberia and Kamtchatka, and it also nests in 

 many localities in Central Europe. Although 

 the species is found in flocks on inland lakes 

 in winter, it also frequents the sea-coasts in 

 large numbers. The nest is made in the 

 hollow of the ground near water, and is 

 generally well concealed m the long sedge ; 

 it is lined with grass and down from the 

 body of the bird. The eggs are from seven 

 to twelve in number, and are of a bufly-white 

 or cream-colour. The length is from two to 

 two - and - a - quarter 

 inches. 



The Wigeon 



The Amekican Wigeon. 



THE .■\MERIC.\N 



WIGEON. 

 {Mareca amcricnna.) 



The male of this 

 species difiers from 

 that of the Common 

 Wigeon in having 

 the head whitish, 

 thickly speckled 

 with black, and with 

 a shade of green 

 reaching from the 

 eye to the hinder 



nape. The female differs from the female of M . poielope in having the head and 

 neck much whiter. The species breeds in Arctic America, and wanders south in 

 winter. It has been found on one occasion with English-killed Wigeon in a 

 London market. In habits and the construction of its nest it does not differ from 

 our own Wigeon, and the eggs are creamy-buff, and measure a trifle over two 

 inches. 



The small size of the Teal generally serves to distinguish 

 the species, its length being only a trifle over a foot. The 

 sexes are different in colour, the male being a very handsome 

 little bird with a chestnut head and throat and green side-face, 

 separated from the chestnut by a line of white. The Teal breeds throughout 

 England, Scotland and Ireland, but more commonly in the north ; it visits every 

 part of Great Britain in the winter. It breeds throughout Europe in the summer, 

 but is more common in the north, and extends across Central and Northern Asia to 



THE 



COMMON TE.^L. 



(Nettivn crcica.) 



