THE GARGANEY. 61 



near here fell in with a brood of young Teal. He 

 drove them before him to Lord Cavan's Lodge. 

 The mother Teal would not forsake her young, but 

 followed after, keeping close at hand all the time. 

 The boy drove them into the yard and into a little 

 shed. The old bird, following all the time, ran in 

 after them, and though there were dogs and people 

 about, she was not the least afraid." 



On the first arrival of Teal I have seen from two 

 to five hundred together ; they are found through- 

 out the winter in more or less plenty on the coast ; 

 but unless the lakes are frozen, they do not again 

 visit the tide in large numbers ; should such a frost 

 continue, they travel south, and vanish. 



For beauty of feather no bird can excel an 

 adult male Teal ; the dappled breast, the exquisite 

 contrast of velvet black, metallic green, and rich 

 cream yellow ; with the graceful, sprightly aspect, 

 are unrivalled. A curious variety of the Teal, of 

 a rich cream colour, is preserved at Longueville, 

 co. Cork, where it was taken in the decoy. A 

 number of Teal, collecting at night, or in a happy 

 humour by day, chatter and whistle loudly. They 

 sometimes then sound like a stand of Golden 

 Plover. The mallards whistle low and shrill, al- 

 though not nearly so distinctly as the cock Wigeon ; 

 the female's call is a subdued imitation of the Wild- 

 duck. Teal leave about the 2Oth March. 



THE GARGANEY (Qiierquedula circia), though not 

 very uncommon in England, especially in some of 

 the eastern counties, where it breeds, is perhaps the 

 rarest of all the well-known Ducks in Ireland. If, 

 however, it were sought for at the proper time, it 



