NATATORES. 231 



requires a careful search to discover it. I once had 

 the extraordinary^ good fortune to find three Teal's 

 nests in one day. They were all situated among 

 heath, and, as they exactly resembled each other, 

 the description of one will suffice. I accordingly 

 extract, verbatim, from my note-book. 



" Between two preserved covers lay an open tract 

 of unbroken ground, about fifty acres in extent. A 

 strong growth of heather, about a foot high, waved 

 over a thick carpet of soft moss (two species), while 

 here and there, in a small open space, a little pool 

 or puddle appeared. Although it would have been 

 difficult to find a more suitable localit}^ for a Teal's 

 nest, the thick growth of heather almost made me 

 despair of finding one ; and I stood still, musing for 

 some time, when m}^ eye fell upon a feather — a small 

 feather — clinging to a spray of heather. This appa- 

 rently insignificant circumstance was to me most 

 significant. Peering under the bush on which it 

 hung, great was my delight at discovering the neat 

 little nest of a Teal containing ten fresh eggs. 

 Placed in a hollow at the foot of the overhanging 

 bunch of heather, it was composed of moss and dry 

 grass, very compact, and lined with down from the 

 bird's breast. The poor Duck, in fl3'ing from her 

 home, had dropped a feather at her doorway, which 

 betrayed her." 



The 3"oung, as soon as hatched, are extremely 

 lively, and display wonderful power in diving. Under 



X 2 



