PUFFIN AUK. 201 



tail, as also the quill- feathers of the wings, are black ; 

 and nearly all the other parts of the body are white. 

 The female is of a reddish-brown colour, variously 

 marked with black and dusky streaks. In both sexes the 

 legs are greenish. 



Teal and Widgeon. These are a small species of the 

 duck tribe, which are sufficiently common in most parts 

 of England, particularly during the winter months. They 

 each form their nests in retired places, and in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood of the water, laying six or seven 

 eggs, about the size of those of a pigeon. Widgeons may 

 be distinguished from all other birds of their tribe by a 

 whistling noise, which they utter during flight. 



The principal difference betwixt the Teal and Widgeon 

 consists in the former having a green spot on the wings, 

 a white line above and beneath the eyes, and a dark-green 

 band extending backward from each eye ; and the latter 

 having the wing spot blue-green, the head brown, fore- 

 head white, vent black, and feathers of the back cinereous 

 and waved. 



42. AUK TRIBE. 



The Auks have their bill compressed at the sides, and 

 convex. They breed in holes or the clefts of rocks. Se- 

 veral of the species stand nearly upright. 



Puffin Auk. Immense numbers of these birds breed 

 every year in the small islands off the coasts of Wales 

 and Scotland. They dig holes in the earth to the depth 

 of half a yard or upwards, and at the bottom of these 

 they lay a single white egg. I have several times taken 



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