93 
THE TEAL. 
Anas crecca, Linn. 
Is common around the coast and on inland waters, and is 
to a considerable extent indigenous. 
Belfast Bay . — Small flocks, containing at most about forty 
birds, have generally appeared here so early as the month of August, 
from which period, until the end of November, they generally 
remained, and afterwards were seldom seen, except when the in- 
land lakes became frozen over; under such circumstances they 
have been abundant in the months of January and Eebruary : in 
March they have been sometimes obtained. These birds have 
very much diminished in numbers during the last twenty 
years ; the wild-fowl shooters considering that there is not now 
(winter of 1849-50*) above one teal here for every fifty or sixty 
previous to that time. Erom 400 to 500 birds were frequently 
then seen in a flock, during frost, and occasionally many 
more, when they appeared alighting, and covering over masses of 
floating ice in numbers like the common grallatorial birds. 
During snow-storms, especially, but at other times also, they 
were frequently killed on the water, by being fired at from behind 
the ditch-banks near the margin of the bay ; and often in com- 
pany with wigeon. Part of one winter, within the period named 
— that of 1837-38 — they were plentiful ; and about fifty were 
obtained by the discharge of a swivel-gun. In another in- 
stance, thirty-two were procured at a shot. The female birds, 
when wounded, are said to quack like the duck, but in a much 
weaker tone. 
The diminution of teal, alluded to in Belfast Bay, might be 
attributable to the increased quantity of shipping and steam- 
vessels, — a great extent of their feeding-ground being enclosed 
within railway embankments, and constant persecution by the 
wild-fowl shooters having swivel-guns, although their numbers 
* About a hundred in a flock were seen this winter during severe frost. 
