232 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



date April 29th, I find the following entry in my 

 note-book : 



" While observing a Snipe which continued to fly 

 round me, ' drumming/ my attention was diverted 

 by the peculiar chirping of some young chicks, and, 

 looking along the narrow and shallow stream, which 

 ran into the pond on my left, I saw on my right 

 several young Teal, only a few days old, actively 

 swimming towards me. As soon as they caught 

 sight of me, instead of retreating to the flags on 

 either side of the stream to hide, they instantly 

 dived, and, the water being clear, although with a 

 muddy bottom, I could easily see them shooting 

 along, with outstretched necks, looking more like 

 fish than birds. Thinking to catch one, I held my 

 umbrella over the water, prepared to strike, when, 

 although so much above me, they seemed to perceive 

 my movements, and turned rapidly, continuing their 

 dive. 



" By a quick stroke, however, I held one to the 

 bottom with my umbrella in one hand, while I seized 

 the little fellow by the legs with the other. The 

 rest, meantime, escaped. My little captive appeared 

 to be only three or four days old, and was wonder- 

 fully active and noisy. His description was as 

 follows : * 



* I depart, in this case, from my rule of abstaining from 

 particular descriptions ; firstly, because young Teal are dif- 



