CINNAMON TEAL 213 



Dawson, quoted by Bent (1923), is about as follows: Six or eight Cin- 

 namon Teal were observed disporting themselves and indulging in their 

 courting antics on a secluded little pond entirely surrounded by reeds. 

 One of the males started to follow his intended very closely, bobbing his 

 head by alternately extending and withdrawing his neck in a lively fash- 

 ion; occasionally only, would the female respond in a similar manner. 

 Finally, aroused from her pretended indifference, the duck acknowledged 

 her suitor with emphatic bobs of the head and immediately thereafter 

 joined him in chasing away the discredited rivals. During the perform- 

 ance the males were repeatedly charging upon each other with open 

 beaks but no bodily harm was inflicted in these attacks. J. G. Tyler, 

 quoted by Bent (1923), says that the males "occasionally, but not often, 

 plunge below the surface of the water during the mating season; this 

 feat usually being accomplished in the presence of a rival." 



There is great variety in the site chosen for the nest by this species 

 and the nest itself varies considerably in its construction. The nests 

 range from neat basket-like structures, woven skilfully of soft grasses 

 and carefully concealed in heavy reeds, to mere depressions in the 

 ground, scantily lined with bits of trash and without any thought of con- 

 cealment; no matter what the nests may be like they are always very 

 heavily lined with down from the mother's breast. The nest may be 

 found in the reeds just above the surface of the water or it may be lo- 

 cated 100 feet away from water on the dry land. The better kind of nest, 

 on the ground near water, is the more usual. The Cinnamon Teal lays 

 from 6 to 14 eggs, the usual number being 10 to 12; the colour is either 

 pure white or pale pinkish buff and the average size is 1.87 by 1.36 

 inches. Incubation is performed entirely by the female but she is not 

 always deserted by the male, as is usual in the duck family. It is com- 

 mon to see broods of young ducklings accompanied by both parents; on 

 the approach of danger the male is the one which appears to show the 

 greater degree of solicitude for the welfare of the ducklings, especially 

 as they grow older. 



The manner in which the young ducklings, when alarmed, scatter 

 and hide is related in Schneider (1893) who quotes A. M. Shields as fol- 

 lows: Shortly after the ducklings are hatched "the mother duck (joined 

 by her mate) escorts the young brood to the nearest body of water and 

 manifests the greatest solicitude for the welfare of the little fellows, giv- 

 ing a signal upon the slightest approach of danger, which is followed by 

 the almost instant disappearance of the entire brood, as if by magic. 

 If on the shore they disappear in the grass; if on the water, they dive, 

 and that is generally the last seen of them, for the time being at least, as 

 they swim under the water for great distances until reaching the edge of 

 the stream or pond, where they imperceptibly secrete themselves among 

 the water moss or grass. I once watched a little fellow as he made his 

 way under the clear water. He went straight for a little bunch of float- 

 ing moss, and by gazing intently I could just distinguish the least pos- 

 sible little swelling of the moss; a small lump, as it were, about the size 

 of a marble. He had come to the surface (as intended) under the patch 

 of moss, and his head and bill were responsible for the little hump in 

 the moss." 



