DAFILA ACUTA. 201 
279. QuERQUEDULA CRECOA (Linn.). The Common Teal. 
Moorish. Frifar (Favier). Spanish. Sarceta. 
'^This species is abundant near Tangier during winter, 
passing north in February and March, returning in September 
and October.^' — Favier. 
The common Teal is very numerous on the Spanish side, 
and, from its haunting small streams and marshes, is more 
easily shot than any other of the Ducks. Their numbers vary 
considerably; and in some seasons they are much more 
abundant than in others. They chiefly arrive during October, 
leaving for the north in March, and have been known, 
though very rarely, to remain to breed near Casa Vieja. 
Lord Lilford observed a single bird at Santa Olaya in 
May 1872. 
Total length 12-5 to 14-5 inches. 
Alar sj)eculum green. 
280. Dafila acuta (Linn.). The Pintail. 
Moorish. Bou-ze-boula (Favier). Spanish. Pato rabudo, 
Pato careto. 
" This Duck is, during the winter season, nearly as 
plentiful in the vicinity of Tangier as the Wild Duck {A7ias 
boschas). They arrive during September and October, and 
leave in April and May.^' — Favier. 
On the Spanish side I never found the Pintail before the 
month of November ; it is exceedingly abundant during the 
winter months on the Laguna de la Janda and other large 
open pieces of water, and is in consequence very difficult to 
shoot by day without the aid of a stalking-horse. These 
Ducks mostly depart during March, some lingering on later 
into the month of April, the latest that I myself observed any 
being on the 5th of that month. 
In this species the tail is cuneiform, consisting of sixteen 
feathers, the central ones much elongated in the male, very 
slightly so in the female ; the alar speculum is green, glossed 
with a copper colour. 
