CLUCKING TEAL. 185 



face, cheeks, and sides of neck fawn colour ; a black streak from 

 below the eye, meeting a black patch on the throat ; nape and 

 hind neck glossy-green, ending in a black stripe down the back 

 of the neck, separated from the fawn colour of the side of 

 the neck by a narrow white line ; upper plumage finely marbled- 

 grey, edged with rufous on the back; upper wing-coverts hair- 

 brown ; the median coverts the same, with an edging of rufous 

 forming the anterior margin of the speculum, which is glossy- 

 green, ending in velvet-black, and bordered posteriorly by silvery 

 white ; primaries brown ; scapulars lengthened, deep black in the 

 centre, white on their upper side, and rufous externally ; upper 

 tail-coverts brown, white on either side ; tail of 16 feathers dark- 

 brown ; beneath the throat black ; the neck and breast vinous- 

 purple, with a few black spots, paling below ; abdomen white, 

 flanks mottled grey ; under tail-coverts black. 



Bill dusky; legs dusky. Length 15J inches; wing 8 J ; tail 3 ; 

 bill at front 1 J ; tarsus 1J ; middle toe If ; weight lib. 



The female wants the rich markings on the head and face, 

 which are mottled grey and brown ; the scapulars are not lengthen- 

 ed; the upper plumage is dusky, with rufous edgings; the chin and 

 throat white ; the breast rufous, largely spotted with dark-brown, 

 as are the flanks ; and the tail-coverts white, with brown spots. 



This beautiful Teal has been obtained on very few occasions, 

 by Mr. Blyth, from the Calcutta Bazar, and there is no other record 

 of its occurrence in India. 



It is a rare bird in Europe, and appears to be most common in 

 Northern Asia, on the borders of Lake Baikal, extending to Japan 

 and China. Pallas gave it its specific name in consequence of its 

 peculiarly loud clucking-call, mok, mok-moh, lok, which Midden- 

 dorff calls a horrible noise. Pallas states that it breeds in Eastern 

 Siberia, laying 10 eggs in a hollow in the ground, and that it mi- 

 grates early. 



A. falcata, Pallas, belongs to the same type as glocitans, but 

 A. bimaculata is considered to be a hybrid between the Wigeon 

 and Pintail. Q. javana, Bodd., flgd. P. E. 930. ; Q. majiillensis, 

 Gmel. ; and Q. numeralis, Mull, and Schl., are Eastern Teal ; and 

 there are several other recorded species of Querqueclula, some 



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