198 A HANDBOOK OF EUROPEAN BIRDS. 
breast, flanks and under tail-cgyerts with dark brown ; bill dark 
brown above, orange beneath’, irides brown. 
Young in first plumage: Resemble adult female, but the 
females show scarcely a trace of blue on the wings or lustre on 
the speculum ; bill pale reddish-brown; legs and feet flesh- 
colour. 
Males in first breeding plumage: Are marked with 
white on throat with a few dark crescentic bands on breast, 
dark bars on lower abdomen and black under tail-coverts mot- 
tled with chestnut and white (Seebohm). 
Adult Males in moult: Distinguishable from females by 
having darker upper parts generally, more brilliantly coloured 
wing-speculum and dark, plain upper tail-coverts (Seebohm). 
Distribution: Found in the Palearctic, Northern Ethiopian 
and Nearctic regions, ranging further south in winter. Breeds 
in most countries of Europe, except in the extreme north. 
Habitat: Both fresh waters and salt, but more often the 
former. 
TEAL. 
Anas crecca /7zun. 
Adult Male: //ead chestnut; from the eye towards back 
‘of neck a broad metallic band (green or purple according 
to the light) bordered by black and white; many of back 
feathers and those on sides of body finely vermiculated, 
alternately with white and blackish; zemg-speculum black ex- 
ternally, internally green, bordered by black; chin black; 
chest and breast white, the former boldly spotted with black ; 
under tail-coverts black at bases, some otherwise buff; bill 
black ; legs and feet dull brown; irides hazel. Length about 
id inches; culmen 15 ; wing 7°25; tail2-7; tarsus. a.) ours 
summer the female dress is assumed. 
Adult Female: Dark brown above, most of the feathers 
bordered by pale reddish-brown ; wing-speculum much as in 
male but bordered by a white band, formed by white tips to 
some of secondaries ; chin and throat white; rest of under 
parts dull white, most of the feathers having obscure brown 
centres. 
Young in first plumage: Differ only from the adult 
female in being more distinctly spotted with brown beneath, 
the young females also having a less brilliant wing-speculum. 
