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Tail brown, margined with paler, the feathers pointed, a patch of 

 white on the sides of the rump; back brownish-black, glossed with 

 green; the feathers on the fore part of the back and loAver portion 

 of the hind-neck margined with yellowish-white. Primaries brown; 

 inner webs of the secondaries same color ; outer vanes dark green, 

 Avhich form the speculum; secondary coverts brown, the cuter broad- 

 ly tipped with white, the inner tipped with bin ? ; tertials dark green, 

 with central markings of deep buff; feet dull yellow. 



Female without the white patch on the sides of the head ; throat 

 white ; lower parts grayish-brown, the feathers spotted with darker ; 

 upper parts blackish-brown, the feathers margined with bluish white 

 and pale buff; smiller wing-co verts blue ; speculum green ; secon- 

 dary coverts the same as those of the male. Length fourteen inch- 

 es, wing seven inches and a half. 



The Blue-Winged Teal is the first of its tribe that leaves the North. 

 Subsisting on tender plants and insects, early in the season, it is 

 compelled to migrate to a milder climate, and arrives among us usu- 

 ally in the month of September. It takes up its abode near the 

 small streams and mill-ponds, where an abundant supply of its fa- 

 vorite food is found. It remains with us but a short time, and then 

 resumes its journey to the most southern extremity of the Union. 



This specips breeds on Long Island. At '' Fort Pond," Alontaul:, 

 h is said a fsw arc found breeding every season. 



