TEAL. NATATORES. QUERQUEDULA. 317 



opinion. The distribution of the present species extends 

 over a great part of Europe and Northern Asia, as well as 

 the American Continent ; and during winter, the period of 

 its migratory movements, it is very abundant in France, 

 Holland, Germany, &c. The trachea of the male is of small 

 but equal diameter throughout its length ; the lower larynx 

 is formed of a large bony arch, on the left of which is a small 

 globular ampulla, about the size of a pea. The flesh of this 

 bird is very tender, and highly prized at the table. 



PLATE 54. Fig. 1. The Male. 



Bill black. Irides brown. Crown of the head, cheeks, Q enera j 

 sides and front of the neck, reddish-brown. Enclosing descrip- 

 the eye, and proceeding as far as the nape of the neck, Ma j e 

 is a large patch or band of glossy duck-green, bordered 

 by a white line. Chin black. Sides of the lower part 

 of the neck, back, scapulars, and flanks, beautifully 

 rayed with zigzag lines of black and white. Wing- 

 coverts hair-brown, tinged with grey ; those covering 

 the secondaries having yellowish tips, and forming a 

 bar across the wings. Middle of the speculum glossy 

 duck-green; with the feathers on either side velvet- 

 black. Front of the neck and breast cream-white, with 

 round black spots. Belly and abdomen white. Under 

 tail-coverts cream-yellow, divided and bordered by a 

 band of velvet-black. Tail wedge-shaped, consisting of 

 fourteen feathers, pale hair-brown, margined with white. 

 Legs clove-brown. 



Towards the end of summer the male loses in a great mea- 

 sure his distinctive markings, acquiring a plumage not 

 very different from that of the female ; which he retains 

 till the general moult. 



Fig. 2. The Female. 



Head and hinder part of the neck pale sienna-yellow^ Female, 

 streaked with deep hair-brown. Throat and cheeks 



