1084 ANAS CEECCA. 



tinged with rufous than in the adult : tertials barred with rufous-buff on the outer webs. Bill blackish grey, 

 fleshy beneath at the base and at the gape. 



Obs. I detect no difference in Asiatic and European examples of this species. An interesting Asiatic ally of this 

 Common Teal is the beautiful Lake-Baikal Teal, A. formosa, Georgi. It is a larger bird, measuring in the wing, 

 cf 3-5 inches, $ 8*1. The coloration of the head in the male is striking : the crown and throat are black, 

 and the face buff, with a black white-edged band from the eye to the throat ; the back is blue-grey, finely marked. 

 It is the Clucking Teal of Jerdon's work, and has been obtained near Calcutta and in Siudh. 



Distribution.— The Teal is said to be tolerably plentiful in some years in the Jaffna peninsula, where it 

 chiefly frequents the head of the lagoon near Ethelemaduvil. In the island of Delft and at the Palverainkadoo 

 lagoon, on the north-west coast, it appears yearly, writes Mr. G. Simpson, in thousands in November, leaving 

 at the end of February. Layard speaks of vast flocks visiting the Jaffna estuary in the months in question, 

 and being shot and sold by the natives in his time for as low a price as hi. each. I have made inquiries 

 of several gentlemen who have been from time to time resident in the peninsula, among whom I may mention 

 Mr. W. Murray, of the Ceylon Civil Service, a keen sportsman, and one who has often shot Teal, and I cannot 

 learn that the species is so abundant now-a-days in that locality as it was prior to the date of Layard's catalogue. 

 It extends into the interior, visiting the tanks at Anaraclhapura, Madewatchiya, Kanthelai, and other places, 

 among which I have seen it at the small tank at Pankulam. It is found as far south as the Uswewa district, 

 and on the east coast affects the Topoor tank, extending in small numbers clown to the Yala district. 



This duck is abundant in parts of India from October until April, but does not occur in such great numbers 

 as the last species, particularly in the Calcutta district. Eastward it is common in Upper Burmah (Oatts), 

 but is rare in Tenasserim, only having been observed in the plains between the Sittang and the Salween. In 

 the peninsula of India it is common in the Deccan, but does not occur in very great abundance in Chota 

 Nagpur (Ball) ; and in Furreedpore it has not been noticed by Mr. Cripps. In the Nepal valley it is very 

 common; but in North-western India it is perhaps more abundant than elsewhere, being recorded as common 

 at the Sambhur Lake, in Siudh, Cutch, Guzerat, and Kattiawar. It occurs iu the Punjab, and in Cashmere 

 and Kasbgharia it is very abundant from November until February, but does not stay to breed. It is found on 

 passage in Turkestan, breeding, according to Severtzoff, up to an elevation of 6000 feet ; and in the south- 

 western portion of the country it remains throughout the winter. In Mongolia it is extremely abundant, 

 writes Prjevalsky, on migration ; large flocks were seen at Dalai-nor, and at Koko-nor it was abundant in 

 March, in which month also it appears at Lake Hanka, a few remaining to breed. It is very common in 

 Amoor Land, and abundant at the source of the river and in South-west Siberia. On the Yenesay it appears 

 as soon as the ice breaks up; and Mr. Seebohm found it breeding as high as 70^° N. lat. On the Ob, Dr. Fiusch 

 met with it as far north as Obdorsk. Eastward it extends to Kamtchatka. Iu Japan it is plentiful, remaining 

 in winter in Yesso, the most northerly island. Throughout China and Formosa it is abundant in winter, 

 according to Swiuhoe. It does not extend to the Philippines or any further to the south than Formosa. 

 Returning to Western Asia, we find it occurring in Persia ; in Palestine Canon Tristram found it common 

 in winter, and in the peninsula of Sinai Mr. C. Wyatt met with it. In Asia Minor it is not uncommon, writes 

 .Mr. Danford, in the mountain-rivers. It is common iu Turkey, aud a resident on the Black Sea (Nordmann). 

 It breeds iu Greece, and is abundant in the Iouiau Isles in winter (Lilford). Throughout the southern and 

 central portions of Europe it is more or less plentiful, but does not remain in the summer in all parts, as, 

 for example, in some parts of Italy, where Salvadori is uncertain as to its breeding. It is abundant in Northern 

 Europe in the summer, breeding as far north as Lapland and the White Sea. It is distributed all over Great 

 Britain, breeding even in the southern counties, and occurring in the Orkneys and Shetland. In Iceland it 

 i-. abundant, arriving there, according to Faber, in April and staying until October. It has been occasionally 

 found in Greenland, and occurs on the eastern coasts of America as a straggler. It has been noticed in the 

 Azores aud iu Madeira, and in North Africa it is not uncommon from west to east. In Egypt it is in fact 

 very abundant according to Capt. Shelley and Von Heuglin, and is resident there, occurring as far south as the 

 Blue and White Nile and the Somauli coast. 



Habits. — The Teal, which, owing to the handsome plumage of the male, may be considered one of the 



