gg I Chap. IX, 



1'A.RA. 26,] 



Mallard. — When disturbed from the water, they soon 

 get fairly on the wing and fly straight away, slowly wheel- 

 ing round, if necessary, so as to get up wind; but, as 

 they rise from the surface, the direction of their flight 

 forms a very small angle at first with the direction of the 

 water and this is also the case when they alight. As they 

 approach the water, they skim with expanded wings and 

 drop feet-first perpendicular into it, with depressed tail 

 and flattering wings. {Seebohm.) 



GadivalL — A s many writers have observed, reminds one 

 mucli of the Teal in the manner of flying, {i^tuart- Baker.) 

 Comwon Teal. — Flight rapid and flexible, say^ 

 Hur)\e (if I may coin an expression to represent the 

 extreme facility with which the species turns and twists 

 in the air). They have a habit after being flushed of 

 suddenly dropping again which I have not noticed in onr 

 other Ducks. 



Everbody must have noticed the clever way in 

 which the survivors will suddenly alter their elevation 

 by several feet to the impact of the sound wave of the 

 first barrel and before the second can be loosed off. 



In open waters, such as rivers, etc., and when on the 

 wing, S'ivS Stuart-Baker, Teal often fly bunched and 

 close together and form shots which much encourage the 

 bad habit of shooting into the Jjvoum , cpiite small flocks 

 often providing from half a dozen to a dozen teal to a 

 couple of barrels of an ordinary smoothbore. Of course, 

 even into the broivn one must hold fairly straight. 



Viigeon. — Seems to have no particular tricks of flight. 

 tiritail. — Darts by at more than railway speed, 

 conspicuous by his long, pointed tail, long neck and 

 white breast. (Hume.) 



Garganey T-<(1. — Though in flight more direct, sayn 

 Siaart-J^cker, agreeing with Hit me, the flocks seldom 

 indulge in the swift dodgings and swervings of the Common 

 Teal. "Shooting over the vast Jessore hheels in boats 

 which went in a thinly scattered line through them, " i.e. 

 n,i<is, "the difference between the flight of tlie two species 

 was well shown. The Garganeys rose far ahead, swept round 

 but once in a wide semicircle and then went straight 

 ahead, whereas the Common Teal often dodged in and out 

 down the whole line, circled about two, three or more 

 times, and then disappeared but often only to settle half 

 a mile or so further on." " When flying, " lie adds " the}' 

 do not struggle much, adhering very much to the dense 

 closely -packed masses in which they rest during the day '' 



Shoveller. — They fly well; not so boldly perhaps as 

 other Ducks, but not so low as the Drivers. (Sir Ralph 

 jJiyne-GMway.) 



