238 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Common GeaL 



THE Common Teal (Anas crecca, Linnaeus) is a locally 

 distributed species throughout the British Islands, and also 

 inhabits the Palearctic Region, but is rare in the Nearctic 

 Region. The adult male has the crown, nape, and cheeks 

 bright chestnut ; enclosing the eye, and reaching the nape, 

 is a large patch of bright green with glossy purple reflec- 

 tions ; bordered by black and white ; sides of lower neck, 

 back, scapulars, and flanks, finely vermiculated with black 

 and white ; wing-coverts, brown, shaded with greyish ; 

 speculum, black, green, and purple, tipped with pale buff; 

 rump and tail-coverts, blackish ; feathers of tail, brown, 

 washed with ash; chin, black; breast, chestnut, spotted 

 with round black spots ; middle of abdomen, white ; under 

 tail-coverts, black in the centre with rich buff on each side ; 

 irides, hazel ; bill, black ; legs and feet, brownish. Length, 

 about fourteen inches. 



