234 HAMPSHIRE DAYS 



towards me, and dropped into the open water within 

 eighteen yards of where I sat. They were greatly 

 excited, and no sooner touched the water than they 

 began calling loudly ; then, from various points, others 

 rose and hurried to join them, and in a few moments 

 there were eleven, all disporting themselves on the 

 water at that short distance. Teal are always tamer 

 than ducks of other kinds, but the tameness of these 

 Wolmer birds was astonishing and very delightful. For 

 a few moments I imagined they were excited at my 

 presence, but it very soon appeared that they were 

 entirely absorbed in their own affairs and cared nothing 

 about me. What a wonderfully lively, passionate, vari- 

 able, and even ridiculous little creature the teal is! 

 Compared with his great relations swans, geese, and 

 the bigger ducks he is like a monkey or squirrel 

 among stately bovine animals. Now the teal have a 

 world- wide range, being found in all climates, and are of 

 many species ; they are, moreover, variable in plumage, 

 some species having an exceedingly rich and beautiful 

 colouring; but wherever found, and however different 

 in colour, they are much the same in disposition 

 they are loquacious, excitable, violent in their affections 

 beyond other ducks, and, albeit highly intelligent, more 

 fearless than other birds habitually persecuted by man. 

 A sedate teal is as rare as a sober-coloured humming- 

 bird. The teal is also of so social a temper that even 

 hi the height of the breeding season he is accustomed 

 to meet his fellows at little gatherings. A curious 



