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311. Garganey. Querquedula circia (Linnaeus). 



Querquedula circia. Shelley, p. 287. 

 TLis teal arrives in July and August and passes southwards 

 to reappear in March and April, when the males have assumed 

 their full plumage. It does not remain to breed. Length 

 about 15 inches. The adult male has a clear whitish stripe 

 over each eye ; crown and nape dark brown ; cheeks and neck 

 dull brick brown shot with very narrow white streaks ; back 

 dark brown. The scapulars are elongated and are striped with 

 white, lavender and black ; wing coverts pale blue ; speculum 

 of wing green, with white bars on each side; chin black ;breast 

 pale brown with crescent-shaped dark bands ; belly white ; flanks 

 narrowly banded with dark bars and bounded by two black 

 and broad bands. The female has no brick brown on head, 

 and the wing coverts are paler blue. Young birds are like the 

 female, but the wing coverts are a dull slate. The male in 

 eclipse is somewhat similar to the adult female, but the wing 

 coverts are of a brighter blue. At all times and in all ages 

 the whitish buff eyestripes serve to distinguish this species from 

 the teal. 



312. PintaiL Dafila acuta (Linnaeus). 



Dafila acuta. Shelley, p. 284. 



Very abundant. Arrives in September and remains till 

 April. 



Length about 30 inches. Male, head brown, nape green. 

 A white stripe from behind the ear coverts to the breast, which, 

 with the abdomen, is white. Back and flanks mottled and 

 vermiculated with black and grey ; speculum bronze green 

 margined with black and white ; tail black, the central tail 

 feathers much elongated and very narrow ; under tail coverts 

 black. Females and young birds are mottled with brown 

 above and have huffish white under parts. 



313. Widgeon. Mareca penelope (Linnaeus). 



Mareca fenelo'pe. Shelley, p. 288. 



Abundant during the winter months. 



Length about 19 inches. Adult male, forehead and fore 

 crown yellow ; chin black ; cheeks and sides of head and neck 

 reddish brown minutely spotted with metallic blue ; throat and 

 rest of neck chestnut ; breast white ; lower belly grey ; flanks 

 vermiculated with grey. The shoulder is white, barred at 



