ANAS CEECCA. 1085 



most interesting species of Ducks found within Indian limits, associates in large flocks in the cold season, 

 and affords excellent shooting in jheels and tanks, where reeds and overgrowth afford it cover. Like all 

 Ducks, it possesses great powers of flight, which, however, in the present instance are increased, owing to the 

 powerful wing which the Teal possesses in proportion to its small body ; and its great speed on the wing 

 makes it all the more attractive to a keen sportsman. Like the Wigeon and the Mallard, it is almost entirely 

 a night feeder, reposing during the daytime in the sheltered nooks of tanks and lakes, or among reeds in rivers, 

 and sallying out at sunset to some great common feeding-ground. In some countries it resorts greatly to shallow 

 sheltered waters on the coast during the day, and flies in to land at sunset to feed, returning in the morning 

 to the salt water ; and during its passage to and from its feeding-grounds it affords excellent flight-shooting. 

 Teal fly in flocks of a dozen to twenty or more, and large flocks are made up of several of these troops or 

 " bunches " as they are called by fowlers in England, which sometimes rise and fall in their rapid progress. 

 It is not a very wary bird ; and when put out of reeds or other cover often realights again a little distance off. 

 Its ordinary call-note is a monosj'llabic sound like knak ; and in the breeding-season it utters another, which 

 ISlaumann likens to the syllable krliick. The diet of the Teal consists of vegetable matter (weeds, roots, seeds 

 of water -plants) and also of insects, larva, worms, and so forth. 



Nidification. — This species breeds in May and June, resorting to extensive marshes, heaths near water, and 

 large peat-bogs. The nest is made on the ground among grass or rushes or in thick heather, in which latter 

 case it is placed sometimes in the middle of a clump, and so entirely concealed from view that the bird cannot 

 be seen on its nest. The nest is made of dead flags, rushes, grass, reeds, &c, with a capacious interior, which 

 is amply lined with down plucked from the bird's breast. The number of eggs varies from eight to fourteen, 

 and occasionally as many as twenty have been found in a nest ; they are small for the size of the bird, oval, but 

 slightly more obtuse at one end than the other, of a uniform creamy-white or pale buff. There is a greenish 

 variety sometimes found, very like the Pintail's eggs. A series before me from the Petehora, taken by 

 Mr. Seebohm, vary in length from L58 to 1*7 inch, and in breadth from 1*16 to l'Z7. The old birds are 

 said to manifest great affection for their young. Macgillivray relates an instance of his finding a brood of 

 young with their mother on a road ; and when he took them up to put them to a pond close by, whither he 

 thought the old bird was leading them, she followed him, fluttering round him within reach of his whip. 



The " nest-down " is dark brown, with pale whitish centres, but no pale tippings. 



Genus SPATULA. 



Bill longer than in Anas, compressed at the gape, and widening out from there to the tip, 

 which is boldly rounded ; lamellae very fine, highly developed, extending from the gape round to 

 the nail, and projecting below the edge of the mandible. Wings pointed, 1st and 2nd quills 

 the longest. Tail pointed, of 14 feathers. Tarsus short ; feet as in Anas. 



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