DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 197 



Of the remaining five species of Ducks belonging 

 to the present sub-family, which are either regular 

 visitors to our islands, or residents in them, none 

 can fairly be classed as being typically marine in 

 their haunts. The well-known Mallard Anas 

 boschas, the Teal Anas crecca, and the Shoveller 

 Anas clypeata, visit the low-lying coasts, especially 

 during severe weather, but they are all eminently 

 fresh-water species, and form no dominant feature 

 in the bird-life of the coast. Still less familiar to 

 the sea - side naturalist are the Gadwall Anas 

 strepera, and the Garganey Anas circia. The 

 former species is rare in our islands, even during 

 winter, whilst the latter is a summer visitor only, 

 excessively local, but breeding sparingly in the 

 Broads District, where, from the peculiar note of the 

 male, it is known as the " Cricket Teal." We will, 

 therefore, pass on to a study of the next sub-family, 

 which contains birds eminently marine in their 

 habits and economy. 



DIVING DUCKS. 



These birds, described somewhat ambiguously by 

 certain authorities as Sea Ducks, for all the species 

 are by no means exclusively marine, yet all are 

 expert divers, form a fairly well-defined and homo- 

 genous group, or sub-family, termed by systematists, 

 Fuligulinse. They are characterised by having a 

 pendant lobe, or membrane, attached to the hind 

 toe, and by their anteriorly scutellated tarsi. All 



