SHOAL- WATER DUCKS. 207 



Querquedula caroHnensis. — Steph. Green-winged Teal. 



The Green-winged Teal is colored as follows : Head and 

 upper neck, chestnut, with a broad glossy green band on each 

 side, whitish-bordered, uniting and blackening on the nape, under 

 parts whitish, the fore breast with circular black spots, upper 

 parts and flanks closely waved with white and blackish, speculum 

 rich green, hence the name, bordered in front with the buffy tips 

 of the greater coverts, behind, with the white tips of the seconda- 

 ries ; weight about ten ounces. 



The Green-winged Teal is a more hardy bird than his near rela- 

 tive the Blue-wing, the former remaining much later in the season 

 and making his appearance again earlier in the spring. The Green- 

 wings are perhaps not quite so highly prized for the table as the 

 others, but there is little choice, as their food and habits are the 

 same. 



In the spring they resort to overflowed grassy prairies and feed 

 on the seeds of grasses, and so forth, which float on the surface 

 of the water. Their call can be imitated but perhaps not described. 

 They will come to stools, and obey an imitation of the call. A breech 

 loading gun in Teal shooting is invaluable, as in firing into a dense 

 flock, many are crippled and unless shot again will escape. Teal 

 shooting is, however, not followed to any extent in the West, as 

 when Teal are plenty, the larger and more formidable Mallard, 

 Gadwall and Sprigtail claim the sportsman's attention, and the little 

 Teal go unmolested. This bird is more a maritime species than 

 the Blue-wing, the former being found in the creeks of the coast, 

 the latter rarely or never. 



Querquedula discors. — Steph. Blue-winged Teal. 



Head and neck blackish-plumbeous, darkest on the crown, a 

 white crescent in front of the eye, back brownish-black glossed 

 with green, wing coverts of sky blue with metallic lustre, lower 

 parts pale reddish orange, shaded on the breast with purplish 

 red and thickly spotted with black. Length about sixteen inches ; 

 weight twelve ounces. 



This Teal so much resembles the last in size, habits, and 

 other particulars as hardly to warrant a long description. They 



