THE TEAL. 



305 



beauty among the feathered tribe. The bill is black; 

 the head and upper parts of the neck are of a bright 

 bay ; the whole markings of its head and wings are 

 veiy splendid. The female has the same beautiful 

 green patch on her wings as the male bird. A few 

 of these birds breed with us. Some years back great 

 numbers were taken in decoys, but the amount is 



THE TEAL. 



much reduced of late. The internal structure of this 

 bird is peculiar : it has convolutions at the end of the 

 windpipe, adapted, as it is said, to the peculiar sounds 

 it emits. This is also the case of many others of the 

 wild fowl tribe, as we have mentioned in our account 

 of the wild swan and goose. The teal's nest is 

 formed of rushes, and lined with down, and so placed 

 as to swing to, and rise and fall with, the motions of 



