;^2o EUROPEAN TEAL. 



HABITS. 

 As indicated in the first edition of this book, us seen on page 80 ol" the present 

 edition, in 1872 I discovered what I then considered as a local race of Black Dnck in 

 Florida, I obtained the first specimens I ever saw at Salt Lake, and later, in April, 

 found them breeding on the marshes of Indian River. All the remarks on page- SO, of 

 the present edition that refer to the Florida form of Black Duck may be applied to tliis 



species. 



Although at that time I found the Florida Duck abundant and breeding commonly, 

 I did not find them so common upon another occasion in the spring of 1886, when I once 

 acain A'isited the region which lies l)etween Merritts' Island and Mosquito Lagoon. At 

 this time, although far from being rare, their number was greatly dimini-^hed, and 

 althouo'hl o-ave the matter careful attention I succeeded in finding a single nest only, and 

 that was placed in the middle of a patch of high grass which contained two or three 

 acres, and was several hundred yards fi-om the water. 



Like its northern relation this duck is not inclined to be gregarious, and I never saw 

 more than three or four together ; usually they were seen in pairs in the little ponds which 

 are scattered over the marshes of both Merritt's Island and tlie mainland opposite. Here 

 they were quite shv, jumping into air nearly perpendicularly for some ten feet, then 

 darting away at right angles, when disturbed. When shot on the water and only slightly 

 Avounded, but m such a manner as to prevent them from fiying, they at once make for 

 the shore and conceal themselves in the grass that covers the marshes. If droyiped 

 wounded upon the marsh they almost invarialily conceal themselves and do it so quickly 

 that it was almost mipossible to catch them betbre they were out of sight. So skillful 

 were they in thus eluding capture that I never remember finding a Florida Duck after it 

 had once got fairly into the grass. Another singular thing was that my dog, Spottie, 

 could never find one either, although her powers of scenting out hidden animals were 

 remarkable. Coots and other species of Ducks were always found by her and I never 

 knew her to lose a wounded quail, even in the tliickest c;iver composed of saw palmettos 

 and brambles, but these Ducks always baffled her. I have seen a wounded Florida Duck 

 enter the grass from tlie Avater, leaving a distinctly marked wet and muddy trail behind l.er, 

 and have mstantl}- taken the dog to the spot, but she Avas never aide to obtain the 

 slio-htest clew to the whereabouts of the hidden bird, "which e\idently left no scent behind. 



QUEQUEDULACRECA. 

 European Teal. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Size, form, and general coloration of the Green-winged Teal, but dififbrs in having no white 

 crescent before the wing, and in having a green band on the sides of the head decidedly bordered with 

 ■whitish ; the barrings on the sides are coarser, and the long scapulars as well as the inner secondaries are 

 creamy white externally, black bordered. 



