GARGANEY or SUMMER TEAL. 



ANAS CIRCIA, Linn. 



Anas circia, Linn. S. N. i. p. 204 (1766). 



Anas querquedula, Linn. S. N. i. p. 203; Naum. xi. p. 677; 



Hewitson, ii. p. 409. 

 Querquedula circia, Macg. v. p. 55 ; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 393 ; 



Dresser, vi. p. 513. 



Sarcelle d'ete, French ; Knack-Ente, German ; Cerceta, 

 Carranaca, Spanish. 



The Garganey visits England in small numbers in 

 the early spring, and remains to breed in certain favour- 

 able localities in Norfolk and elsewhere, but cannot be 

 considered abundant in any part of the country. I 

 never met with this species in any part of Europe 

 during the winter months, but it is exceedingly common 

 on the vernal migration on the eastern shores of the 

 Adriatic and in Sicily. In Andalucia it is not very 

 common, but well-known, and I have received a nest 

 and eggs with one of the parent birds from the marisma 

 of the Guadalquivir. 



The call-note of the Garganey is a harsh guttural 

 rattle, which, if once heard, cannot be mistaken, and 

 distantly resembles the croak of the Ptarmigan. In 

 my opinion the flesh of this bird is remarkably nasty, 

 but I never had an opportunity of tasting it in the 

 winter. 



