THE GARGANEYS. 291 



is preceded by a sound like the drawing-in of the breath, and 

 followed by a low grating note." 



Nest Somewhat deep, with a lining of grass and sedge, 

 placed, according to Mr. Seebohm, in the grass among the 

 shrubs in dry places, generally at some distance from the 

 water. 



Eggs. From seven to ten in number, of a pale greenish-buff 

 colour. Axis, 2*05-2*4 inches ; diam., 1*4-1*5. The down is 

 dark brown, with scarcely distinguishable whitish filaments at 

 the tips, bat having a very prominent central star of white. 



THE GARGANEYS. GENUS QUERQUEDULA. 



Querquedula, Steph. Gen. Zool. xii. part 2, p. 142 (1824). 



Type, Q. querquedula (L.). 



The Garganeys, or Blue-winged Teal, differ from the true 

 Teal {Ndtion\ with which they have generally been associated, 

 in the soft membrane which fringes the terminal portion of the 

 upper mandible, and the blue upper wing-coverts, in which 

 respect they greatly resemble the Shoveler. 



Out of the five species recognised by Count Salvadori as 

 belonging to this genus, two are exclusively South American, 

 viz., Q. versicolor and Q. puna ; two are North American, Q. 

 discors and Q. cyanoptera, wintering in Central and South 

 America ; and one, Q. querquedula, is Palaearctic. 



I. THE GARGANEY. QUERQUEDULA QUERQUEDULA. 



Anas querquedula^ Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 203 (1766). 



Anas circia, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 204 (1766); Seebohm, Br. 



B. iii. p. 551 (1885); Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B. part 



xiii. (1890). 

 Querquedula arcia, Macg. Br. B. v. p. 55 (1852); Dresser, B. 



Eur. vi. p. 513, pi. 427 (1871); B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 



126 (1883); Saunders, ed. Yarr. Br. B. iv. p. 393 (1885); 



id. Man. Br. B. p. 423 (1889); Salvad. Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 



xxvii. p. 293 (1895). 



Adult Male. General colour above dark brown, the centres 

 of the feathers being blackish and the edgings reddish-brown ; 



U 9 



