Pintau. NATATORES. QUERQUEDULA. 311 
This genus is distinguished from the two preceding ones 
by the form of the bill, which is longer and proportionably 
narrower, assuming a semi-cylindrical shape. The laminz 
of the bill are also short, being in most species scarcely vi- 
sible below the deflected edges of the mandible. By many 
recent systematists, the Pintail (Anas acuta of Linnzus) 
has been separated from the other Teals, on account of the 
greater elongation of the two middle-tail feathers, and made 
the type of a genus, called Dafila by Dr Leacu. But as 
the bill of the only known species displays the same form as 
that of the Common Teal, and the structure of its trachea 
is also similar, I have ventured, though not without hesita- 
tion, to retain it in the present genus. The Teals are, for 
the most part, of inferior size to the species of the preceding 
groups, some of them being amongst the smallest of the Ana- 
tide. ‘Their form is rather slender, and, from their great 
length of wing and development of tail, they fly with strength 
and rapidity. They inhabit the interior parts of the coun= 
try, and are but seldom found upon the sea-shores. 
COMMON PINTAIL. 
QueERQuEDULA AcuTA, Mihi. 
PLATE XLIX. & PLATE LI.* Fie. 2. 
Anas acuta, Linn. Syst. 1. 202. 28.—Gmel. Syst. 1. 528.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. 
2. 864. sp. 81.—Wils. Amer. Orn. 8. 75. pl. 68. f. 3. male-—Flem. Br. 
Anim. 1. 124. sp. 189. 
Anas caudacuta, Raii Syn. 147. A, 5.—Wiil. 289. t. 72. 
Anas longicauda, Briss. 6. 639. 16. t. 34. f. 1, 2. 
Dafila caudacuta, Stephens, Shaw’s Zool. 12. 127. pl. 49. 
Canard 4 longue queue, Buff: Ois. 9. 197. t. 73.—Id. Pl. Enl. 954.—Temm, 
Man. d’Orn. 2. 838. 
Spiessente, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 4. 1116.— Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 2. 536. 
Sea Pheasant or Craiker, Will. (Angl.) 376. t. 73.—Albin’s Birds, 2. t. 94, 
95.—Flem. Br. Anim. 1. 124. sp. 189. 
Pintail, Br. Zool. 2. No. 282.—Arct. Zool. 2. No. 500.—Lath. Syn. 526. 72. 
—Id. Sup. 2. 354.—Lewin’s Br. Birds, 7. 261.—Mont. Ornith. Dict. and 
Bae agit Br. Birds, ed. 1826.—Wils. Amer. Orn. 8, 72. pl. 68. f 3. 
male, 
