THE WIDGEOX. 22.5 



as the snipe. In the spring the drake has a peculiar 

 whistle, at other times their note is a low quack, and it 

 has been remarked that a pair of teal, if allowed to 

 remain undisturbed, will return year after year to the 

 same pool to breed. 



The teal is found to the south of the Caspian Sea, 

 and in all parts of Europe it is esteemed a very delicate 

 bird. Hearne states that a considerable number of 

 teal are found near the seacoast in Hudson's Bay, but 

 are more nvmierous in the interior parts of the country, 

 flying in such large flocks that he has frequently killed 

 twelve or fourteen at one shot, and the Indians also kill 

 a great many at a shot. At their first arrival they are 

 in bad condition ; he describes the teal as the most 

 prolific of tlie water-fowl at Hudson's Bay, having more 

 than once seen old ones swimming at the head of 

 seventeen young ones, when not much larger than 

 walnuts. The teal remains in this part as long as the 

 weather is sufficiently open ; before they take their 

 flight to the south they become exceedingly fat, deli- 

 cately white, and are considered a great luxury by the 

 colonists. 



The widgeon is not so delicate a bird for the table as 

 the teal ; it is twenty inches in length, and weighs about 

 twenty-three ounces; bill narrow, of a bluish lead 

 colour, an inch and half long, tip black ; the top of the 

 head is cream colour, over the bill almost white, head 

 and neck light bay ; the plumage of the back and sides 

 under the wings undulated -with black and white lines ; 

 wing coverts bro^vn, more or less mixed with white, and 

 in some birds almost white ; the greater quill feathers 

 dusky ; the outermost webs of the middle feathers of 

 a fine green, the tips black, the last striped with black 

 Q 



