212 WILD-FOWL AND SEA-FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



the rut, but they only come down on their backs, 

 their little paddles working frantically as they try to 

 get up again. The Teal duck is taking her brood 

 to some small pools just below. Taking a sweep 

 out into the heather, I re-enter the road above her, 

 so as to leave her in peace. For a certainty, no 

 friend of mine could interfere with a feathered family 

 such as this. 



The Garganey Teal goes also by the names of 

 Cricket Teal, Pied Wigeon, and Summer Teal ; the 

 last name is the most suitable, as this bird is only a 

 migrant. Any waters suitable for wading birds are 

 also suitable for the Garganey. 



The plumage is not so gay as that of the Common 

 Teal, but the tones of colouring are beautifully ar- 

 ranged. A notice of this bird is given, although it 

 very rarely finds a place in the ordinary shooter's 

 bag. It can be had sometimes, if sought for in 

 proper places ; some quiet bay in any slow-flowing 

 river, surrounded by oat -grass, candocks, sedges, and 

 trailing tangle, is pretty sure to hold something ; at 

 least I have been able to find birds in such bits of 

 river water. 



A good water-spaniel does not require to have one 

 word said to him, and what he does not know the 

 man who carries the gun is not able to tell him. 

 Nothing puts me out more than to see a good dog 

 in front of a man who is not fit to carry a gun. 

 Dogs have been rated often for having more brains 

 than those behind, for whom they were doing their 

 best to find birds ; which when they were found .were 



