ANATIDZ: 483 
been known to breed in confinement; but this ap- 
pears to be rarely the case, although the male adopts 
the usual change of plumage in the summer. 
The nest is said to be placed amongst rushes and 
strong herbage, and is invariably well concealed. 
The food of the Pintail seems to be very various, 
consisting of plants, insects and their larvee, Mol- 
lusca, snails, and the spawn of frogs and fishes. 
Meyer adds that it consumes small fish and frogs fox 
want of better provender, but not from choice: he 
also adds to the list of food the blades of grass, 
seeds, aud the roots of water plants and corn, to ob- 
tain which it flies to corn and stubble-fields; but 
I have never seen the Pintail in my pond feed on 
grass, like the Wigeon: its principal food seems to 
be the pond-weed and the insects and small Mollusea 
it picks up with it: the weed it obtains by tipping 
its head downwards into the water, after the manner 
of tame Ducks; but I have never seen this or any 
other of the true Ducks dive for food, although they 
all—even the Burrow Ducks—do so when sporting 
or washing themselves, and when wounded and 
trying to escape. 
The Pintail, though not quite so showy as many 
of the other Ducks, is a very pretty and ornamental 
bird, and more elegant, both in form and in its move- 
ments, than the common Wild Duck. The bill is 
black on the ridge and at the base, pale blue on the 
sides; the irides are dark brown; the head, chin, 
272 
