214 SURFACE-FEEDING DUCKS. 



Distribution. General. 



The Teal is our smallest Duck, breeding generally 

 throughout the British Islands, and being joined by 

 many migrant birds in winter. It affects principally 

 inland waters lakes, marsh -ponds, and the like, 

 associating in flocks, which, again, associate less 

 intimately with flocks of other species of Ducks. It 

 is chiefly a night-feeder, its food consisting of aquatic 

 plants, slugs, worms, &c. Its call-note is a short 

 ' Crick ! ' and its alarm-note a low quack. It is a 

 chubby, squat little bird, and swims with its head 

 drawn down to its shoulders. Its gold-rimmed 

 spectacles, tied, as it were, with a broad green ribbon 

 behind its neck, the whole sharply defined upon the 

 chestnut head and neck, serve at once to distinguish 

 the Teal. 



SHOVELLER. Plate 94. 20 inches. Head and 

 upper neck green ; lower neck white in front ; hind- 

 neck and back dark brown, with pale edges to the 

 feathers, but becoming black towards the tail ; tail 

 black, the feathers white- edged ; wings brown, but 

 blue on shoulder, and with green speculum with a 

 bar of white in front ; lower breast rich chestnut, 

 becoming white and finally black towards the tail ; 

 bill black, flattened out enormously towards the end ; 

 legs orange-red. Female : brown above, feathers pale- 

 edged ; shoulder of wing grayish-brown ; speculum 

 dull ; under parts brownish-buff, spotted dark brown 

 on fore-neck, and barred with brown on upper breast 

 and flanks. Male in summer resembles the female 

 except in the wings. Resident and winter migrant. 



