anatid^e. 443 



The female resembles the male only in the wings. The upper plumage and tail are mostly 

 liver-brown with pale brown margins and horse-shoe shaped bars ; the upper parts of the 

 head darker ; sides of the head and neck more finely marked. Under plumage yellowish- 

 grey obscurely spotted with brown ; the breast tinged with chestnut. 



Dimensions 

 Of the male. 

 Inch. Lin. Inch. Lin. Inch. Lin. 



Length, total 24 G Length of bill above . 2 2 Length of middle toe . 2 



„ of tail . .33 ,, of bill to rictus .27 » of middle nail . 4£ 



„ of wing . 11 3 „ of tarsus ... 1 9 



— R. 



[201.] 5. Anas (Boschas) crecca, var. (Forst.) American Teal. 



Genus, Anas. Sub-genus, Boschas, Antici. Swains. 



Anas crecca, varietas. Forst. Phil. Trans., lxii., p. 419, No. 51. 



American Teal. Pens. Arct. ZooL, ii., p. 569, No. 504. 



Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca). Wils., viii., p. 101, pi. 60, f. 4. 



Anas crecca. Bonap. Syn., No. 330. 



Apeesteh-sheep. Cree Indians. 



This beautiful though very common Teal was considered to be a distinct 

 species from the European A, crecca by Pennant ; but the two are so similar 

 in their general plumage, and in the forms and dimensions of all their parts, that 

 we agree with Forster in describing the American bird as merely a variety. 

 The only permanent difference that we have been able to detect, after comparing 

 a number of specimens, is, that the English Teal has a white longitudinal band 

 on the scapulars, which the other wants. All the specimens brought home by 

 the Expedition have a broad transverse white bar on the shoulder, which does not 

 exist in the English one ; but there is a specimen in the Hudson's Bay Museum, 

 from the fur-countries, which has neither that bar nor the scapular stripe. This 

 Duck feeds much on fresh-water insects, and when fat is very delicate food. — R. 



DESCRIPTION 



Of a male, killed, May 25, 1826, at Fort Franklin. 



Colour. — Head and adjoining half of the neck chestnut-brown ; chin, region of the bill, 

 and forehead, brownish-black; behind the eye a broad duck-green band, narrowly edged with 

 white ; nuchal crest tipped with deep indigo-blue. A collar, base of the neck above, inter- 

 scapulars, part of the scapulars, the flanks, and vent, finely undulated with brownish-black 

 and white. Outer border of the scapulars black; the interior and longer scapulars, wing 

 coverts, primaries, posterior part of the back and tail, hair-brown ; tail coverts velvet-black 



3 L 2 



