COMMON TEAL. 365 



and it is said they will even use a fox or badger's hole 

 to avoid doing this, having even hatched their young 

 while the rightful owner was still in possession. 

 Artificial burrows are sometimes dug in their breeding 

 haunts by those who are anxious to obtain their eggs, 

 when, by a movable piece of turf being placed over 

 the far end, the eggs may be taken out every morning. 

 The nest consists of a little dead grass and moss, and 

 is lined with down. The eggs, seven to fourteen or 

 sixteen, are creamy white in colour. 



The bird and the site of the nest should be observed 

 to make certain of identifying these eggs. 



COMMON TEAL. 



ANAS CRECCA. 



Family ANATID^;. Genus ANAS. 



The Common Teal is a resident in the British 

 Islands, but is local in its haunts, and can only be 

 considered to breed sparingly. Its numbers are largely 

 increased, however, in the winter by migration, so that 

 it is then one of the commonest species of Ducks, next 

 to the Mallard, in our islands. 



