THE TEAL. 281 



Characters and allied forms. — For distinctions of A. c. caroli- 

 nensis see under that form. Distinguished from other species by 

 small size, black and green speculum, and hair-brown median and 

 lesser coverts. 



Field -characters. — Small size prevents confusion with any species 

 except Garganey. Coloration of drakes is distinctive enough, whilst 

 Garganey duck is greyer than Teal and has only indistinct speculum. 

 Details of drake Teal's plumage evident at close quarters, but 

 cinnamon-buff spot on each side of rump and narrow white longi- 

 tudinal line along side distinguish swimming bird at great distance. 

 Flight very rapid. Partial to rushy moorland pools, bogs and peat- 

 mosses in nesting season ; and to fresh -water lakes and ponds and, 

 to lesser extent, estuaries and mudflats in winter, when it is gre- 

 garious. Note of male a low far-sounding " krit, krit," of female a 

 short, sharp " quack." 



Breeding-habits. — Breeds on commons, moorlands, open glades 

 in woods, marshes, etc. Nest. — A hollow lined with grasses, dead 

 leaves, bracken, etc., with down and a few small feathers (see Brit. 

 Birds, Vol. II, PI. 1). Eggs. — 8 to 12, but 15 and 16 on record, pale 

 buff with a tinge of green. Average of 100 eggs, 44.6 X 32.6. Max. : 

 49.5x34 and 47.6x35.2. Mb.: 41x32.9 and 42.2x31.2 mm. 

 Breeding -season. — Latter part April and early May. Incubation. — 

 By female alone. Period: 22 days (W. Evans) ; 28 (H. S. Glad- 

 stone). Single-brooded. 



Food. — Largely vegetable matter, including seeds of aquatic plants 

 and rushes, duckweed (Lemna), Potamogeton, Rumex, Carex, Poly- 

 gonum, Zostera, etc., also green algae, and fruit of birch (Betula). 

 In tropical countries rice also taken . Animal food recorded ; insects 

 and their larvae (including larvae of Eristalis tenax and Phryganece,) 

 and worms, slugs (fide Saunders), as well as small fresh- water 

 mollusca. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident, passage-migrant and 

 winter-visitor mid-Aug.-end Nov. to mid-March-mid-May. Breeds 

 most English counties ; sparsely southern and inland ones, more 

 plentifully eastern and northern and in Wales. In Scotland widety 

 distributed breeding-bird, and known to breed plentifully in some 

 O. Hebrides since 1901. In Ireland breeds throughout in limited 

 numbers. Some home-bred birds emigrate in autumn, but numbers 

 are greatly increased in winter by Continental visitors. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Palaearctic region generally, breeding 

 more abundantly in northern portions, rare and local in Mediter- 

 ranean countries, but in winter all over continent of Europe, where 

 open fresh-water remains, and in milder parts of Asia, south to 

 Haussa-land, Abyssinia, Blue Nile, Sokotra, India and Ceylon, 

 Andamans and Nicobars, Burmah, Japan and China. Casual 

 Greenland, Aleutian Isles and N. America, once Spitsbergen. 

 Represented by A. c. carolinensis in North America. 



