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ANAS QUERQUEDULA 
GENERAL HABITS 
The Garganey shows, of course, some points of resemblance, not only in appear- 
ance, but also in habits to the Americ 9 ,n Blue-winged Teal; and its affinities with 
the Shoveller have often been the subject of comment. It may be thought of as 
having something in common with the latter, though but little with the European 
Teal. 
Haunts. There is not much that is characteristic about its mode of life. It is a 
true shoal-water duck, and in its summer habitat selects localities like those chosen 
by the Shovellers, where it can feed in sheltered, shallow, stagnant waters, which 
appeal to its rather retiring nature and to its love for animal food. As Millais (1902) 
points out, it is very much less marine than the European Teal, and as its southern 
wintering grounds are well out of the frost belt it is not necessary for it to resort to 
the coast for food. In the Mediterranean countries it will, however, resort to brack- 
ish estuaries like the Rhone delta and to the brackish lakes of Algeria (Millais, 1902), 
while in India and Ceylon it seems to be commonly found on salt-water creeks and 
on the shallower parts of the coast (Hume and Marshall, 1879; Legge, 1880; Baker, 
1908). 
Wariness. The opinions of naturalists and sportsmen vary so greatly on this 
point, that without personal experience it is very difficult to make an intelligent 
comparison. In western Europe writers seem to be generally agreed in calling it a 
rather tame bird, apt to be seen about dwellings (Naumann, 1896-1905), and I have 
always supposed that it was similar to our Blue-wing in this respect. The only flock 
of these ducks which I ever had the opportunity to observe, was on spring migration 
at the head of the Gulf of Akaba, Red Sea. These birds acted in a very unsuspicious 
way and circled after being shot at. This was on April 17 and they were no doubt 
already mated. Sjbstedt (1910), on the other hand, found them pretty cautious in 
central Africa. According to Hume and Marshall (1879) they were never very tame 
or familiar in India, but at the same time they were not very wild or wary. Yet 
in Lucknow they are spoken of by Jesse (1903) as wilder than the Common Teal. 
Baker (1908) even goes so far as to say that he has found this one of the wildest of 
the duck tribe in India, and he gives good reasons for this opinion. Of course most of 
the other species of ducks are somewhat tamer in the East than in the West, but 
the relative wildness in India is interesting, and may be accounted for simply by the 
fact that they go about in larger flocks; and as a rule the larger the flock the wilder 
the individuals. 
Daily Movements. Not different from those of other shoal-water ducks. 
