GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 301 



The markets of Philadelphia abound with these Ducks, and 

 are sold for a mere trifle ; they are considered best by Epicures 

 when split open and broiled, with a dressing of butter ; we 

 prefer them in this way to all other modes of cooking. 



Blue-Winged Teal fly with great rapidity and considerable 

 noise ; they drop down suddenly among the reeds much like a 

 Woodcock. 



DESCRIPTION. 



"This species measures about fourteen inches in length, and 

 twenty-two inches in extent; the bill is long in proportion, and 

 of a dark, dusky slate; the front and upper part of the head 

 are black; from the eye to the chin is a large crescent of white; 

 the rest of the head and half the neck are of a dark slate, richly 

 glossed with green and violet ; remainder of the neck and breast 

 is black or dusky, thickly marked with semicircles of brownish 

 white, elegantly intersected with each other ; belly pale brown, 

 barred with dusky in narrow lines; sides and vent the same 

 tint, spotted with oval marks of dusky ; flanks elegantly waved 

 with large semicircles of pale brown ; sides of the vent pure 

 white; under the tail coverts black; back deep brownish black, 

 each feather waved with large semi-ovals of brownish white ; 

 lesser wdng covert a bright light blue; primaries dusky brown; 

 secondaries black ; speculum, or beauty-spot, rich green ; tertials 

 edged with black or light blue, and streaked down their middle 

 with white ; the tail, which is pointed, extends two inches be- 

 yond the wings; legs and feet yellow, the latter very small; the 

 two crescents of white before the eyes meet on the throat. 



" The female differs in having the head and neck of a dull, 

 dusky slate, instead of the rich violet of the male ; the hind 

 head is also whitish ; the wavings on the back and lower parts 

 more indistinct ; wdng nearly the same in both." 



ANAS CRECCA. GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 



This variety is a little larger than the preceding, and resem- 

 bles more closely the English Teal ; in fact, is considered by 

 Naturalists as the same Duck. Its habits and disposition are 



