PINTAIL DUCK. 199 



ordinary call-note is a peculiar brief Avhistle, somewhat resembling that of the Teal, 

 and that "the shooters state that the cry of the Pintail when wounded and pursued, 

 is like that of the Mallard, or Duck, though more weak, and that they quack much at 

 such times." 



The food of the Pintail consists of various vegetable matters, seeds, beech mast, 

 water insects, and small fresh-water mollusca; sand or gravel being also always found 

 in the stomach. 



The nest is placed amongst reeds and rushes. 



The eggs, which are from five to seven in number, are of a greenish white colour, 

 and measure "two inches one line in length, by one inch five lines in breadth." 



Hybrids have been produced between the Pintail and the Wigeon; and between the 

 Pintail and Mallard. This latter cross appears not to be very unfrequent, as we have 

 seen several specimens apparently only to be referred to such an origin, the produce of 

 Lord "Wenlock's decoy at Escrick Park, near York. Two of these birds came into the 

 possession of our friend "W. D. T. Duesberry, Esq., of Skelton, near York; and not only 

 paired, but actually produced a brood of young ones, which we saw swimming on one 

 of Mr. Duesberry's ponds. An adult hybrid of this kind was also obtained at Moreby 

 Hall, near York, the seat of H. Preston, Esq., on November 27th., 1849; in whose 

 collection it now is. Sir William Jardine also records two instances of similar hybrids 

 occurring; one of which came under his own observation. 



The adult male in winter has the bill of "a dusky lead-colour; irides, dark hazel; 

 head and half of the neck, pale brown; each side of the neck marked with a band of 

 purple violet, bordering the white; hind part of the upper half of the neck, black; 

 bordered on each side by a stripe of white, which spreads over the lower part of the 

 neck before; sides of the breast, and upper part of the back, white, thickly and ele- 

 gantly marked with transverse undulating lines of black, here and there tinged with 

 pale buff; throat and middle of the belly, white, tinged with cream; flanks, finely pen- 

 cilled with waving lines; vent, white; under tail coverts, black; lesser wing coverts, 

 brown ash ; greater, the same, tipped with orange ; beloAv which is the speculum, or beauty 

 spot, of rich golden green, bordered below with a band of black, and another of white; 

 primaries, dusky brown; tertials, long, black, edged with white, and tinged with rust; 

 rump and tail coverts, pale ash, centred with dark brown; tail, greatly pointed, the 

 two middle tapering feathers being full five inches longer than the others, and black; 

 the rest brown ash, edged with white; legs, a pale lead-colour." 



The female has the crown of a dark brown colour; neck, of a dull brownish white, 

 thickly speckled with dark brown; breast and belly, pale brownish white, interspersed 

 with white; back and root of the neck above, black, each feather elegantly waved with 

 broad lines of brownish white ; these wavings become rufous on the scapulars ; vent, spotted 



