DUCKS AND GEESE 65 



an hour, the wings making a loud whistling noise. They 

 feed in shallow water or wade ahout the shores of our inland 

 ponds and lakes. Being practically surface feeders, and 

 living often on wild grass seeds of the marshes, their flesh 

 is second to that of no other duck in tenderness and flavor. 



The green-winged remains in the Great Lakes region 

 until the waters freeze, when our handsome blue-winged 

 is many hundred miles farther south. It also reappears in 

 the spring several weeks in advance of our other teals. The 

 northern portions of central Canada are the favorite breed- 

 ing grounds of this beautiful duck. Occasionally, how- 

 ever, it remains in the famous wild-fowl region about 

 Devil's Lake, North Dakota. 



The writer has ten pale ashy-green eggs taken in North 

 Dakota from a nest which was in a tussock of coarse grass 

 on dry ground, but close to the water's edge. 



THE BLUE-WINGED TEAL* 



So many names have been applied to this duck that 

 much confusion exists in the minds of many as to which to 

 distinguish it bJ^ A few of them are blue- winged; white- 

 face, or white-faced teal; summer teal, and cerceta comun 

 (Mexico). It inhabits North America in general, but 

 chiefly the eastern provinces; north to Alaska, south in 

 winter throughout West Indies, Central America, and 

 northern South America as far as Ecuador. It is accidental 

 in Europe. 



The Blue-winged Teal is stated to be probably the 

 most numerous of our smaller ducks, and, though by far 



