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Genus QUEBQUEDULA. 



Anas apud Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 204 (1766). 

 Querquedula, Stephens in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xii. p. 142 (1824). 

 Cyanopterus apud Eyton, Monogr. Anat. p. 130 (1838). 

 Petrocyanea apud Bonaparte, Cat. Met. Ucc. Eur. p. 71 (1842). 

 Eunetta apud Bonaparte, Compt. Bend, xliii. p. 650 (1856). 



The Teals are, as a rule, smaller than the true Ducks, more slender in form, have a longer neck 

 and a narrower bill, and the scapulars and inner secondaries more elongated and pointed. They 

 are very widely distributed, being found in the Palaearctic, Ethiopian, Oriental, Australian, 

 Nearctic, and Neotropical Begions, four species occurring in the Western Palaearctic Begion — 

 two being resident, and two being stragglers from the Eastern Palaearctic Begion. 



These birds frequent marshes, lakes, rivers, &c, being essentially freshwater birds. During 

 the day they prefer to remain quiet in some secluded place, and feed chiefly by night. They 

 feed on grain, seeds, the tender portions of aquatic plants, insects, worms, slugs, &c. They fly 

 well and swiftly ; and though not so active on foot, yet they walk with tolerable ease. Their 

 note is a soft quack ; but, as a rule, they are rather silent birds than otherwise. They breed 

 either close to or at some distance from water, and place their nests on the ground, depositing 

 numerous small yellowish-white eggs. 



Querquedula circia, the type of the genus, has the bill about as long as the head, higher 

 than broad at the base, depressed, and slightly widened towards the tip ; unguis small, ovate, 

 decurved at the tip ; the extremities of the lamellae are visible on the edges of the upper 

 mandible, which overlaps and covers the lower mandible ; nostrils oblong, small, not placed far 

 forward ; wings rather long, pointed, the first quill longest, the inner secondaries elongated and 

 tapering ; tail short, slightly rounded ; legs short, tarsus compressed, anteriorly scutellate ; hind 

 toe very small, with a very narrow membrane ; outer toe much shorter than the third, the centre 

 toe rather long ; interdigital membrane emarginate ; claws small, curved, rather acute. 



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