TEAL. 347 



TEAL. 



Querquedula crecca. 



This, the smallest of our British Ducks, is in some degree 

 indigenous, a few breeding among the coarse weeds of our 

 larger ponds and marshes. Our native birds receive large 

 additions from the north and east, and they are almost the 

 earliest waterfowl to arrive, a few making their appearance 

 before the end of October, and those which do not remain 

 to breed frequently stay as late as the second week in April. 

 Mr. Booth (' Rough Notes ') observes under the date of 

 1881, April 11th : — "The Teal drakes whistling almost con- 

 tinually when not disturbed, the sound being somewhat 

 similar to that of the call of the cock Bullfinch. The note of 

 the female, who now and then responds, resembles the squeak 

 of a penny trumpet." The Teal feeds chiefly at night, on 

 seeds of various Carices and other water-plants, but during 

 the daytime is generally concealed among the coarse herbage. 

 It is essentially a freshwater Duck, though when frozen out 

 it takes to the sea or salt-marshes. It seldom congregates 

 in very large numbers, six or eight being usually found 

 together under the name of a plump of Teal. They may be 

 often found in the numerous pits in the woods, and in the 

 less frequented part of the open country, but seem rather to 

 prefer those thickly surrounded with trees, and when dis- 

 turbed seldom fly to any great distance, dropping into some 

 similar pit to that from whence they had been driven. The 

 nest is very like that of the Mallard. 



