CHAPTER XVII 



THE TEAL AND GARGANEY 



THE Teal is a handsome, sprightly, neat-looking 

 little fowl. It frequents large splashes of fresh water 

 fringed with sedges, reeds, alders, and dwarf willows, 

 shallow waters suiting it best ; in these it can spatter 

 and sift for its food without the least exertion. 



In the u fall," thousands of acres are under water, 

 because the flooded rivers and streams are not able 

 under certain conditions of wind and tide to empty 

 themselves into tidal waters. Thus the large grazing 

 flats become, for a time, drowned lands ; and when a 

 change comes, and the great body of water is able to 

 flow away, there remains for months afterwards a 

 general state of " soppiness." Even in summer, the 

 water-gripes and the broad cuts which run through 

 are never dry ; but in a flooded autumn season the 

 "gripes" are brooks, and the cuts look like small 

 rivers. Nothing is to be seen but miles of grey- 

 green pastures, intersected in all directions with lines 

 of old pollards, and old sedge and reed-beds. A 

 dreary look-out this is, and a damp one too for the 



shooters, but a perfect feeding-range for Teal. 



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