THE TEAL. 97 



highly finished picture a graceful element of life. Its sight is 

 amazingly acute. On my quietly advancing to the banks of this 

 lake, at a great distance from a large flock, they would, when 

 first seen, be reposing on the water in silence ; but the next 

 moment, having perceived me, would commence calling in a 

 manner grating to the ear, and nearly resembling the sound 

 produced by the solid wooden wheel of an old-fashioned Irish 

 car wanting grease. They would then lightly spring into the air, 

 wheel through it with amazing rapidity, within a few seconds of 

 time, appearing backed by the transparent medium of the water 

 of the farther part of the lake, by the " evergreen pine," or mass 

 of towering silver firs, by the soft golden floating clouds, or 

 sweeping before extensive ranges or broken groups of majestic 

 deciduous trees ; their colour appearing difl'erent every moment as 

 they were " relieved" by these difl'erent objects, the greatest contrast 

 being when they seemed all dark in hue, with the upper surface of 

 their bodies turned towards me, or shone like silver in the sun- 

 light when the white under plumage was exposed. So rapid are 

 their movements, that it requires an effort — almost a straining — 

 of the eye to follow them. Being intent on alighting, they will 

 now from on high repeatedly sweep down towards the water, 

 into which some individuals from the flock descend at every 

 circuit until the whole are gradually reposing on a more distant 

 part of the lake, where their call, occasionally unheard during 

 their more distant flight, is again distinctly given forth. 



Audubon, in the third volume of his work (p. 219), gives an 

 admirable description, as a sportsman, of the habits of the green- 

 winged teal of America, now considered distinct from the Euro- 

 pean species. Wilson^s observation, that the blue-winged teal 

 {Anas cUscors, Cuv.) "is the first of its tribe that returns to us in 

 the autumn from its breeding-place in the north," and that "they 

 fly rapidly, and, when they alight, drop down suddenly, like the 

 the snipe or woodcock, among the reeds or on the mud," applies 

 equally to our native species, as indeed do the general habits 

 attributed to that bird.''^ 



* ' Amer. Oni.' vol. iii, p. 97. .Tanline's edit. 

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