GAEGANEY. 87 



Haunts. Elvers and open sheets of fresh water, &c. 



Plumage. Crown of head and cheeks chestnut ; round eye 

 and extending back towards nape a broad green stripe mar- 

 gined with buff ; upper parts prettily pencilled iri black and 

 white ; speculum green and purple. Rump black. Tail brown ; 

 fore-chest buff, spotted with blackish ; under parts white, buff 

 patch each side of the rump. Flanks vermiculated with black 

 and white. Bill blackish. Legs and feet brownish grey. 

 Length 14 in. Our smallest Duck. Female, mottled with 

 brown. Young, very similar to female. 



Language. A short, sharp " quack " ; also a soft whistle. 



Habits. On taking to wing they rise almost perpendicularly 

 from the water to a fair height, and then shoot off rapidly. 

 Perhaps the tamest of our wild Ducks. It feeds by night. 



Food. Insects and their larvae, seeds of aquatic plants, 

 worms, slugs, mollusca, &c. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site. On the ground among herbage, &c., and usually near 

 water. 



Materials. Sedges, reeds, dry grass, leaves, and pieces of 

 heather, lined with brown down, having lighter centre and no 

 white tips. 



Eggs. Seven to ten or more. Creamy or buffish white. 



GARGANEY (Querquedula circia). 



Migrant, being a spring visitor. Very local and uncommon 

 as a breeding species. It nests sparingly in the Fen and Broad 

 and other suitable districts. 



Observation. Distinguish at a distance from Teal by bluish 

 wings and broad white eye-stripe. 



Plumage. Forehead, nape, arid back dark brown ; white 

 stripe commencing just before the eye and extending to back 

 of neck. Cheeks and neck light brown. Wings bluish grey. 

 Speculum green, edged with white bar. Tail brown. Chin 

 black. Breast pale brown, marked with dark crescentic bands. 

 Belly white ; under tail-coverts mottled with black and white. 

 Bill black. Legs and feet greyish brown. Length 16 in. 

 Female: smaller, mottled with brown; eye-stripe washed with 

 yellow ; speculum duller green between two white bars. Young, 

 like female. 



Language. A sharp qnack ; also another note remotely 

 resembling the noise of the cricket (hence Cricket Teal). 



Habits. Closely resembles the last. 



Food. Like the last. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site. Amongst rank grass, in reed-beds, &c. 



