BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 397 



. Two, sometimes three and even four ; 

 white, unmarked, and of a narrow elongated shape. 

 Size about i.o by .66 in. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving in April and May, 

 and leaving in August and September. Note : a 

 harsh scream. Local and other names : Black 

 Martin, Screech Martin, Screecher, Screamer, 

 Squeaker, Deviling. Gregarious, and very fond of 

 its old nesting haunts. Sits closely. 



TEAL. 



( Qiterquedula crecca.} 

 Order ANSERES ; Family AXATHVE (DUCKS). 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about 

 fourteen inches and a half ; beak of medium length, 

 fairly straight, and almost black. Irides hazel. 

 Head and upper neck chestnut ; a narrow line of 

 buff starts from the base of the bill, goes upward, 

 and passes over the eye and ear-coverts, and onward 

 to the back of the head ; a second commences in 

 the front corner of the eye, passes under it, and 

 ends behind the ear-coverts. All the feathers 

 between these two lines are of a rich glossy green ; 

 back of lower part of neck, scapulars, and upper 

 part of back, waved or barred with narrow transverse 

 black and white lines ; lower part of back shaded 

 with dark brown ; wings dark brown, beautifully 

 barred with a patch of glossy green and a line of 

 white ; upper tail-coverts nearly black, edged with 

 reddish-brown ; tail feathers pointed and brown ; 

 lower half of neck, in front, pale purplish-white, 

 spotted with black ; breast and belly dusky-white ; 

 sides and flanks barred with fine wavy lines of black 



