Noy., 1390.] THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



20I 



NOTES ON A FEW INDIAN GAME BIRDS. 



By F. E. PRESCOTT-DECIE. 



THE COMMON TEAL. 



QUERQUEDULA CRECIA, LlNN^US. 



This well-known and beautiful little duck is said to be one of the 

 most abundant cold weather visitants to India, and to be generally 

 distributed all over the country. I saw a very large flock of Teal 

 numbering a couple of hundred at least in a flooded field near Katwara. 

 At Kersole I saw two or three smaller flocks, and about the Null they 

 were generally, though somewhat sparsely distributed. 



The Teal is one of the earliest ducks to arrive in India. " I find," 

 says Captain Baldwin, " that for a succession of years, when quartered 

 "in various parts of the country, a teal was almost invariably the first 

 " among the ducks to fall to my gun ; and generally in Bundelkund a 

 " spring of teal formed the advance-guard of the wild fowl travelling 

 " south from the cold regions of Northern Asia and other countries." 



The little Teal is marvellously swift in its flight, and it is a beauti- 

 ful sight to see a large flock of them on the wing when frightened by a 

 gunshot, but uncertain whence the sound came, and in which direction 

 they ought to seek safety. Round and round the tank they go twisting 

 and turning in every conceivable direction, now sweeping rapidly up- 

 wards, now darting down again with a swiftness so amazing that they 

 absolutely whiz through the air as they descend, and finally perhaps 

 dashing back into the centre of the tank with a resounding splash. 

 In the closeness of the formation in which they fly, and the extra- 

 ordinary way in which the whole flock seems to turn in a new 

 direction absolutely at the same moment they always remind me of 

 starlings, but their pace is all their own. I once saw a small party of 

 Teal pursued by a moderate sized hawk, but the latter did not appear 

 to have a chance with them, and they easily got into the shelter of 

 some friendly rushes. This reminds me that one has to keep a very 

 sharp eye on one's dead or wounded duck in India, otherwise they are 

 certain to be carried off by some of the hawks or eagles which swarm 

 everywhere, and do not appear to be the least afraid of a gun. The 

 chief robbers were I think, Bonelli's eagle and the Marsh Harrier, 



