BIRDS OF NEW YORK 195 



Other ducks it is very secretive during the breeding season and I have 

 known many instances in which broods were reared near farmhouses with- 

 out their presence being suspected until the young were able to fly. Early 

 in September this species is quite common on the ducking grounds of western 

 New York and sportsmen often make large bags at the opening of the 

 shooting season in the Montezuma marshes, and the ponds and bays along 

 the shores of Lake Ontario. The flight of the teal is rapid, often equaling 

 2 miles per minute. Upon alighting they drop suddenly into the marsh like 

 a snipe. Flocks of teal travel in a densely massed company and are some- 

 times seen wheeling about over their feeding grounds at dusk or daybreak 

 like a flock of sandpipers. The Blue-wing's note is a whistling "peep" re- 

 peated five or six times but is seldom heard. The duck quacks less plainly 

 and in hoarser voice than the Green-wing. They usually depart for the 

 south by the 20th of October but are sometimes taken on Long Island as 

 late as November 1 5th or even the 1 2th of December. 



The nest of the teal is carefully concealed on the edges of the marsh 

 and thickly lined with down. The eggs are from 7 to 12 in number, of a 

 creamy buff color and measure 1.85 x 1.3 inches. 



Querquedula cyanoptera (Vieillot) 

 Cinnamon Teal 



Anas cyanoptera Vieillot. Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. 1816. 5:104 



A. O. U. Cheek List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 141 



cyanop'tera, Gr. kimvos, blue, and Trrcpov, wing 

 Distinguishing marks. Male: Head, neck and under parts purplish 

 chestnut, very dark on crown, chin and crissum, dusky on belly; foreback 

 buffy brown varied with dark brown crescents and bars; rump greenish 

 brown; wings similar to the preceding species. Size the same as the 

 Blue-wing, or slightly longer, and the bill longer. Female: Very similar 

 to female d i s c o r s , but bill .25 inches longer and under parts tinged with 

 chestnut, head and chin more speckled. 



