46 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[Ducks. 



this way is from the latter end of October until 

 February. 



Wilhisjhby slates that formerly before the young 

 ducks looU fli!;ht, or while the old ones were in 

 moult ami uniiblc to flv, they were driven by men 

 in boats furnished with long poles, with which tliey 

 splashed the water, between lon^ nets stretched 

 vertically across the pools in the shape of two sides 

 of a triaiisle, into lesser nets placed at the point, 

 and in this way he says that four thousand were 

 taken at one drive in Deepins: Fen ; and Latham 

 has recorded an instance in which two thousand six 

 hnndred anil forty-six were taken in two days nvar 

 Spahlin^, in Lincolnshire ; but these practices, being 

 considered injurious, were prohibited by statute in 

 the reign of George II. 



Fi;;. 1DIJ3 is the copy of an Egyptian painting, in 

 the Britisli Museum, representing a fowler in a boat 

 on the niarehes or flooded grounds, evidently engaged 

 in the capture of wild-fowl, apparently by the decoy 

 plan, in which he is assisted by trained birds, and, 

 strange to say, by a cat, which is dehneated in the 

 act of seizing a bird, while holding down another 

 which she has already caught. As the jjicture is 

 only a fragment, a complete detailed explanation is 

 not to be deduced from it. 



Fig. 19G4 represents an Egyptian attending to a 

 baited clapnet, into which a brace of wild dncks 

 are winging their way, and which is doubtless so 

 constructed as to enclose them when they alight. 

 These relics of antitjuity are interesting, as affording 

 an insight not only mto the habits and practices of a 

 people of remote ages, but also into the zoological 

 productions of their country, and thereby enabling 

 us to compare them with those of the present day. 

 We may observe, en jxissaiU, that the Egyptians 

 represented birds and mammalia with singular 

 fidelity, in comparison with their delineations of the 

 human figure. 



1965. — The Blue-Winged Teal 



(Cffonnpfeius discors, Eyton). Anas discors, Linn. 

 This species is a native of the northern regions of 

 America, and in eastern Europe and Asia is repre- 

 sented by a distinct species (C. Circia, Ejtou ; Anas 

 Querquedula, Linn.). 



The blue-winged teal appears in September along 

 the shores of the Delaware in crowded flocks, which 

 sit on the mud close to the waters edge, so that 

 many are killed by the gunner at a single discharge. 

 Their flesh is excellent, as they feed chiefly on the 

 seeds of reeds or wild cats, and alter a short residence 

 in favourable localities become very fat. When the 

 frost begins to set in, they proceed southwards, being 

 vei-y susceptible of cold. They abound dining the 

 winter in the inundated rice-iields of the Southern 

 States, where, as Wilson informs us, vast numbers 

 are taken in traps placed on small dry eminences 

 that here and there arise above the water. These 

 places are strewed with rice, and (he birds are 

 caught alive. In the month of April flocks of the 

 blue-winged teal p.iss through Pennsylvania for the 

 noifh, but make little stay at lliat season. 



In the male the forehead and fop of the head are 

 black ; a large crescent of white extends on each 

 side from the eye to the throat ; the rest of the head 

 and half the neck dark slate-colour, richly glossed 

 with green and violet ; remainder of the neck and i 

 breast dusky back thickly marked with semicircles ! 

 of brownish white intersecting each other; under | 

 parts pale brown, barred with narrow dusky lines ; 

 the sides spotted with oval dusky marks; the flanks 

 waved with large semicircles of pale brown ; under i 

 tail-coverts back ; black deep brownish black, each 

 feather waved with brownish white ; lesser wing- 

 coverts bright light blue ; primaries brown ; secon- 

 danes black ; speculum rich green; (ertials edired 

 with black or light blue, and streaked down the 

 middle with white; feet yellow; bill dark slate- 

 c3loiir. Length fourteen inches. In the female 

 the head and neck are of a dull dusky slate-colour ; 

 the hind head whitish ; and the general colouring is 

 less pure and definite. ° 



Fig. lJiG6 represents the Bill of the blue-winged 

 Teal, which approaches in form to that of the 

 .jnallard. 



1007. — The Commox Teal 

 i Querquedula Crecca). Sarcelle, Petite Sarcelle 

 Cercelle, Cercerelle of the French; Cercedula' 

 Cercevolo, Scavolo, Saitclla, and Anitrella of the 

 Italians ; Spiegel Entlein and Kriekente of the 

 Germans^ Cor Hvvyad and Brach Hwyad of the 

 ancient British. 



This beautiful little duck, which is too well known 

 to require a detailed description, is widely spread 

 over Euroiie and Asia. It is (bund in India, China, 

 and Japan: it vi.-ils North Africa; and is common 

 in Germany, Holland, Fia;Ke, and Italy. It breeds 

 ^n Norway, Sweden Lapland, and Iceland ; nor must 

 «he British Islands be excluded, for althoui^h there 

 are flocks of these birds which arrive in cur'raarshes 

 from the north about the end of September and 



return thither again in spring, still we have ourown 

 indigenous birds, which continue permanent, breed- 

 ing and rearing their broods. Cumberiand, North- 

 umberland, Norfolk, the borders offomeof the lakes 

 in Wales, are known to afford suitable localities, 

 which they regularly tenant ; a few breed in Komney 

 Marsh ; in Ireland some are also resident throughout 

 the year. The nest of this species is formed of 

 decaying vegetable matters, with a lining of down 

 and feathere ; it is placed amidst the long rushy 

 heriiage about the edges of lakes, or in the bogty 

 paits of the upland moors. The eggs, from eight to 

 ten ()r twelve in number, are of a cream white. 



The flight of the teal is wonderfully rapid, and 

 when the bird is flushed the sportsman must be on 

 the alert, otherwise it will be beyond range of shot 

 ere he diaws his trigger. Night is the feeding-time 

 ot this species; during the day it reposes upon the 

 water, or sits shrouded amidst the herbage of the 

 bank with the head crouched between the shoulders, 

 or with the bill under the scapulars: immediately 

 after sunset it wings its way to its usual feeding- 

 ground ; aquatic planfs and their seeds, grain, fresh- 

 water mollusks, insects and their lai-vae, constitute its 

 diet. For the sake of its beauty the teal is often kept 

 on ornamental sheets of water, and becomes very tame 

 and familiar ; those in the Zoological Gardens have 

 for several years past bred annually. Of all our 

 water-fowl this is the most delicate for the table, and, 

 as Willugliby remarks, '■ doth deservedly challenge 

 the first place among those of its kind." Accord- 

 ingly we find it recorded among the abundance of 

 good things composing the lordly banquets of the 

 olden time. 



1968. — Thk PlNTAILED DUCIC 



{Bnfila cau(lacuta). Anas C'audacuta, Ray ; Anas 

 acuta, Linn. ; Anas longicauda, Brisson : Querque- 

 dula acuta, Selby ; le Canard a longue queue on 

 Pilet of the French ; Anitra codilanza and Aiiitra 

 di coda lunga of the Italians ; Speissente and Fasan- 

 ente of the Germans; Hwyad gynffonfain of the 

 ancient British. 



Fig. 1909 represents the Bill of the Pinfailed Duck, 

 in which the laminae are only moderately developed, 

 w'hile the elevation at the base exceeds the bre.-idth. 

 The bulla of the windpipe is of the size of a small 

 hazel-nut. The pintailed duck is a native of the 

 northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America, breed- 

 ing in the high latitudes, whence on the approach 

 of winter it wings its way southwards, to return again 

 in spring. It visits Holland, France, and Germany 

 in great numbers, as well as the British Islands, the 

 fens of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, &c., being its princi- 

 pal places of resort. It is a shy and wary bird, and 

 one of the first to give the alarm on the approach 

 of the cunner. Contrary to the statement of Mon- 

 tagu, Mr. Selby asserts, from long personal observa- 

 tion, that it is of rare occurrence in the north of 

 England and the south of Scotland, and that he has 

 reason to believe that in the north of Scotland and 

 the adjacent islands it is equally uncommon, the 

 long-tailed duck (Harelda glacialis), which in winter 

 frequents the bays of the Orkneys and other groups 

 of islands in great abundance, having been mistaken 

 for it. 



This species is easily domesticated, but seldom 

 breeds in confinement; yet hybrids between it and 

 other ducks have occasionally been produced. 



Mr. Selby observes that the season of courtship 

 is indicated by the male suddenly laising him.^elf 

 upright in the water, and bringing his bill close to 

 his breast, atthe same time uttering a low soli note ; 

 this gesticulation being often followed by a jerk of 

 the hinder part of the body, which is then also 

 throw above the water. We may add that some- 

 what similar gesticulations are common to the mal- 

 lard and other species. 



The pintailed duck is a bird of graceful propor- 

 tions, with a slender neck and elongated tail, and, 

 as is the case with the mallard and several others, 

 as the teal and wigcon, the plumage of the male 

 after the breeding-season undergoes a remarkable 

 change of colour, and a.-^similates to that of the fe- 

 male. 



In the male, in full plumage, the head and throat 

 are dark hair biown, the lower part of the neck, and 

 two steaks running up to the hmd part of the head, 

 the breast, and under parls, white. Back of the 

 neck deep brov.n. Flanks and thighs with fine 

 transverse black lines. Under fail-coverts velvet 

 black. Back marked with alternate wavy lines of 

 black and greyish uliite. Siapulais black ; teitials 

 long, acuminate, and blajk, with yellowish white 

 margins. Lesser wing-cuveits deep i;muke-grey. 

 Speculum blackish green, with a bronzed leflexion, 

 bordered below by white. Quills brown. Two 

 middle tail-leathers elongated, acuminate, and black, 

 the re=t brown margined with white. Bill black. 

 Legs blackish grey. 



1970. — The Sheldrake 

 (Ihdonui Vvlpanser), Head and Foot. Anas Ta- 



ll dorna, Linn. ; la Tadorne, Buifon ; Brandente, 

 I' Beclislein; Volpoca of Savi ; Hwyad yr eithin 

 and Hwyad fruitli of the ancient British. 



The Sheldrake is a native of northern Europe 

 and Asia, and occurs in Jap.ui. We may enume- 

 rate it among the indigenous biids of cuir islands, as 

 it breeds with us. and may be seen at nil seasons 

 upon various paits of the coast, and on the mud- 

 banks of our tidal rivers, but rarely far inland; their 

 numbers, however, are great ly increased in the winter 

 by accessions from the north, which return to their 

 summer haunts in March. This species selects rabbit- 

 warrens along the coast as its breeding-place, and 

 taking up a deserted burrow, there mak.'s a nest of 

 dried grass, lined with soil down plucked from its 

 own breast. The nest is sometimes ten or twelve 

 feet from the entrance; but where there are no 

 burrows accessible, it is placed in a fissure of the 

 rock or bank ; the eggs are ten or twelve in number, 

 and of a pure white. The parents are very solicitous 

 respecting their young. During the period of in- 

 cubation (thirty days) the male keeps watch, and 

 takes the place of the female when she leaves the 

 nest for food. When the young are hatched, (hey 

 are conducted or carried in the bill of their parents 

 to the sea, vvhcre they swim about in some sheltered 

 spot, seldom leaving the water till fully fledged. 

 When the nest or young are in danger, the old birds 

 show great address in decoying the intruder to a 

 distance, feigning lameness, and fluttering along the 

 ground before him ; hence the natives of the Orkneys 

 call this bird the sly goose. The food of the prcienc 

 species consists of sea-weed, shelled mollusks, small 

 Crustacea, the spawn and fry of fishes, and also 

 grain. The flesh is rank and bad. From its great 

 beauty the sheldrake is often kept tame as an orna- 

 mental appendage to lakes and 'sheets of water i:i 

 parks or gardens, and numbers of the young are 

 annually captured for sale. Selby status that in 

 confinement this species seldom breeds ; one in- 

 stance came under his own observation, and another 

 is recorded by Montagu. We may here observe 

 that the sheldiake has bred both in the gardens of 

 the Horticultural Society and ia those of the Zoo- 

 logical Society. 



The sheldrake is distinguished from the ducks of 

 other genera by the form of its bill, which is com- 

 paratively short, high at the base, depressed in the 

 middle, with the tip flattened and turning upward-, 

 and the nail abruptly curvel. The legs are long, 

 and placed in the centre of the body, whence tiie 

 birds run on shore wiili considerable ease and quick- 

 ness. There is a fleshy knot on the base of the 

 upper mandible in the male, which increases on the 

 approach of the pairing-season, and acquires a 

 beautiful crimson hue. The trachea of the male is 

 furnished at the lower larynx with two thin bulliv, 

 of which that on the right side is the largest. The 

 head and neck are greenish black; the lower jiait 

 of the p.eck, wing-coverts, back, sides, rump, and 

 base of tail, pure white. Scapulars, a large band 

 girding the middle of the belly, quills and extremity 

 of caudal feathers deep black ; a large bay-coloured 

 gorget adorns the breast. Speculum, or beauty-.tpot 

 of the wings, purple green. Feet flesh-coloured. 

 The female is less than the male, and her colours 

 are moie obscure. 



1971. — The Wigeon, or Widgeon 



(Maieca Penelope). Canard Siffleurof the French • 

 Anistra fischiarola, Anatra niarigiana, and Fischioua 

 of the Italians; Pfeilente of the Germans; Chwiw 

 of the ancient British. 



The Wigcon is a native of the northern regions 

 of Europe and Asia, breeding in Lapland, Sweden, 

 Norway, &c., whence on the approach of winter 

 vast flocks wing their way southwards, visiting 

 Holland, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. It 

 occurs in the neighbourhood of the Caucasus, in 

 India, and .Japan. In the British Islands it arrives 

 about the beginning of October, visiting our inland 

 marshes, bays, and the mouths of rivois, and gnat 

 numbers are annually taken in decoy.^j, lor the sake 

 of the flesh, which is very excellent, iis a vegetable 

 diet (aquatic plants, sea-weeds, and ordinary grass) 

 forms lhechiefsupi)ort of this species. Dr. Itichard- 

 son in a note gives the following interesting par- 

 ticulars, which he derived Irom Skeltou, the intelli- 

 gent keeper of a decoy in Lincolnshire: — "With 

 respect to food, the mallard, pintail, and teal lie- 

 queiit lichfloodid ]a.iuU, fit illciiiig wi[h their titbs 

 111 the soil, ar.d .'^uckiiig out all its stioicjtli, but the 

 wigeon feeds (juite differently, behiij an on:ci:iiii; 

 foul to graze and a btiumjc eater of tjrass. It is 

 especially fond of flutter grass (glyceria), which it 

 crops on the surface, but it likev.ise eats many other 

 heibs." It is i)artial to willow-weed seeds (epilo- 

 bium), as aie also the mallard, teal, and pintail, 

 piclVrriiig them to oats; and it leeds by day, but is 

 also nocturnal in its habits. The wigeon has been 

 known to breed in Sutheriandshirc ; the nest is 

 placed among low bushes, ieed.s or rushes near 

 Iresh Aater, and is composed of vegetable materials 



