THE PINTAIL. 
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red, edged witli dark blue, on each wing, and also one of 
white, and some of the feathers of the lower part of the back 
have sandy edgings. The note of this bird is said to be much 
Hke that of the Mallard, but more sonorous. The nest is 
formed of dry grass, and lined with down ; the eggs are 
about eight in number, of a uniform light buff colour. It 
is found in North Africa, the Caucasus, India, and North 
America. It is a winter visitor in the islands of the Medi- 
terranean, -and is sometimes seen in Switzerland and Sweden, 
but more commonly in Holland. 
PINTxilL. 
The Pintail has, from the beauty of its plumage, and 
length of tail, obtained the name of the Sea Pheasant. 
It is by some considered the most elegant of our winter 
Ducks, than most of which it has a more lender form and 
longer neck. It has a rich chestnut brown head and throat, 
white breast and neck, grey back, prettily mottled ; the tail 
feathers are black and white, as are the larger wing fea- 
thers, and the speculum, or the coloured spot in the side of the 
wing, common to birds of this family, is of a rich golden green, 
bordered with black, and having an orange band across it. 
Morris, in his beautiful volume on British Game Birds 
and Water Fowl, says, ' The Pintail is shy and vigilant in its 
habits, and is very quick in taking and giving alarm. It 
feeds during the day, as well as in the morning and evening, 
