66 Birds ok Xorth Carolina 



Genus Querquedula (Steph.) 



48. Querquedula discors [Linn.). Blue-winged Teal. 



Ad. d'. — Crown fuscous, chin and sides of base of bill black; a broad white band across 

 front of head, its hinder ni.argin bordered by black; rest of head and throat dark ashy with 

 purplish reflections; breast and belly cinnamon-rufous, tliickly spotted with black; back fus- 

 cous, the fcatliers witli crescents of ocliraceous-ljutT; tcn.'icr and median u-ing-covcrts grayish blue, 

 end half of greater ones white; speculum green. Ad. 9- — Crown fuscous, lightly margined 

 with grayish; sides of the head and tlie neck whifisli, finely spotted with l)lackish, except on the 

 throat; breast and l)elly with less cinnamon wasli tlian in the preceding; back and wings quite 

 similar to the preceding, but ocliraceous bars sometimes wanting, speculum darker and greater 

 coverts with less wliite. L., 1(5.00; W., 7.25; Tar., 1.20; B., 1.60. (Cliap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



Range. — Breeds from the northern lialf of the United States northward; winters from North 

 Carolina to middle .South .\merica. 



Range in North Carolina. — ^^'hole State in winter, but most common during tlic migrations. 



Kii^ 



Fir.. 40. Bi.rF..wiS0F;D Te.m, Oirtult male). 



Observers usually agree tliat thi.'* species prcccde.s b.y a few days the Cireeii-wiuged 

 Teal in the autumn migration. C. S. Brimlcy records them at Raleigh as early 

 as October 19, and in spring as late as May 6. Cairns saw them at Weavorville 

 April 16 and 23, 1892. Bishop speaks of their being at Pea Island April 27 and 

 again May 1, 190.5. Beautiful in plumage, delicious when rightly cooked, and 

 usually abunchiiit in its chosen localities, tlie Blue-winged Teal is justly popular 

 with si)ortsiiien. Tlie birds are liunted in the rice fields and marshes from boats 

 which are poled .slowly by an assistant. Tiie sliooting occurs wlien tlie l)irds take 

 wing. They are also inucii sliot at "passes" or points over which they fly when 

 going in the morning or evening to their feeding jilaces. Many are secured from 

 lilinds, for these l)irtls come well to decoys. So vmsuspicious are they that at times 

 one may eassily advance in the ^^\^y'\\ to a ])()iiit within shooting distance. 



Genus Spatula (Boie) 

 49. Spatula clypeata (Linn.). Shoveller. 



Description. — Male with head and neck green, breast white, belly cliestnut, wing-coverts 

 blue. Female much duller, streakv brownish, kno\m by the spoon-shaped bill, and the blue 

 on the wing-coverts. I... 17.00-21.00; \V., 0.00-10.01). 



Range. — Xorthern Ilemis]ihere, Iji-ecding in America from the northern United States north- 

 ward, wintering from Maryland to nortliern South America. 



Range in North Carolina. — Coastal region in winter. 



