492 



BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 



after their residence for a short time among the reeds, become 

 very fat. As the first frosts come on, they proceed to the 

 south, being a delicate bird, very susceptible of cold. They 

 abound in the inundated rice-fields in the southern States, 

 where vast numbers are taken in traps placed on small dry 

 eminences that here and there rise above the water. These 

 places are strewed with rice, and by the common contrivance 

 called a, figure four, they are caught alive in hollow traps, In 

 the month of April they pass through Pennsylvania for the 

 north, but make little stay at that season. I have observed 

 them numerous on the Hudson opposite to the Katskill moun- 

 tains. They rarely visit the sea-shore. 



This species measures about fourteen inches in length, and 

 twenty-two inches in extent ; the bill is long in proportion, 

 and of a dark dusky slate ; the front and upper part of the 

 head are black ; from the eye to the chin is a large crescent of 

 white; the rest of the head and half of the neck are of a dark 

 slate, richly glossed with green and violet ; remainder of the 

 neck and breast is black or dusky, thickly marked with semi- 

 circles of brownish white, elegantly intersected with each 

 other ; belly, pale brown, barred with dusky in narrow lines ; 

 sides and vent, the same tint, spotted with oval marks of dusky ; 

 flanks elegantly waved with large semicircles of pale brown ; 

 sides of the vent pure white ; under tail-coverts, black ; back, 

 deep brownish black, each feather waved with large semi-ovals 

 of brownish white ; lesser wing-coverts, a bright light blue ; 

 primaries, dusky brown ; secondaries, black ; speculum, or 

 beauty spot, rich green; tertials, edged with black or light 

 blue, and streaked down their middle with white ; the tail, 

 which is pointed, extends two inches beyond the wings ; legs 

 and feet, yellow, the latter very small ; the two crescents of 

 white, before the eyes, meet on the throat. 



The female differs in having the head and neck of a dull 

 dusky slate, instead of the rich violet of the male, the hind 

 head is also whitish. The wavings on the back and lower 

 parts more indistinct ; wing nearly the same in both. 



