BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 



49 1 



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 be- 

 come rufous on the scapulars"; vent, white, spotted with dark 

 brown ; tail, dark brown, spotted with white ; the two middle 

 tail-feathers half an inch longer than the others. 



The sprigtail is an elegantly formed, long-bodied duck, the 

 neck longer and more slender than most others. 



BLUE-WINGED TEAL. (Anas discors.) 



PLATE LXVIII.— Fig. 4. 



Le Sarcelle d'Amerique, Briss. vi. p. 452, 35. — Buff. ix. p. 279, PI. enl. 966. — 

 Catesby, i. pi. 100. — White-faced Duck, Lath. Syn. iii. p. 502. — Arct. Zool. 

 No. 503.— PeaWs Museum, No. 2846. 



BOSCH AS? DISCORS.— Swaiksox. 



Anas discors, Cuv. Regn. Anim. i. p. 539. — Bonap. Synop. p. 385. — Anas (Boschas) 

 discors. Swain. Journ. Royal Instit., No. iv. p. 22. — -North. Zool. ii. p. 444. 



The blue-winged teal is the first of its tribe that returns to 

 us in the autumn from its breeding place in the north. They 

 are usually seen early in September, along the shores of the 

 Delaware, where they sit on the mud close to the edge of the 

 water, so crowded together that the gunners often kill great 

 numbers at a single discharge. When a flock is discovered 

 thus sitting and sunning themselves, the experienced gunner 

 runs his batteau ashore at some distance below or above them, 

 and getting out, pushes her before him over the slippery mud, 

 concealing himself all the while behind her ; by this method 

 he can sometimes approach within twenty yards of the flock, 

 among which he generally makes great slaughter. They fly 

 rapidly, and, when they alight, drop down suddenly, like the 

 snipe or woodcock, among the reeds or on the mud. They 

 feed chiefly on vegetable food, and are eagerly fond of the 

 seeds of the reeds or wild oats. Their flesh is excellent, and 



