THE TEAL. 
97 
highly finished picture a graceful element of life. Its sight is 
amazingly acute. On my quietly advancing to the banks of this 
lake, at a great distance from a large flock, they would, when 
first seen, be reposing on the water in silence ; but the next 
moment, having perceived me, would commence calling in a 
manner grating to the ear, and nearly resembling the sound 
produced by the solid wooden wheel of an old-fashioned Irish 
car wanting grease. They would then lightly spring into the air, 
wheel through it with amazing rapidity, within a few seconds of 
time, appearing backed by the transparent medium of the water 
of the farther part of the lake, by the “ evergreen pine,” or mass 
of towering silver firs, by the soft golden floating clouds, or 
sweeping before extensive ranges or broken groups of majestic 
deciduous trees ; their colour appearing different every moment as 
they were “ relieved” by these different objects, the greatest contrast 
being when they seemed all dark in hue, with the upper surface of 
their bodies turned towards me, or shone like silver in the sun- 
light when the white under plumage was exposed. So rapid are 
their movements, that it requires an effort — almost a straining — 
of the eye to follow them. Being intent on alighting, they will 
now from on high repeatedly sweep down towards the water, 
into which some individuals from the flock descend at every 
circuit until the whole are gradually reposing on a more distant 
part of the lake, where their call, occasionally unheard during 
their more distant flight, is again distinctly given forth. 
Audubon, in the third volume of his work (p. 219), gives an 
admirable description, as a sportsman, of the habits of the green- 
winged teal of America, now considered distinct from the Euro- 
pean species. Wilson's observation, that the blue- winged teal 
(Anas discors, Cuv.) “is the first of its tribe that returns to us in 
the autumn from its breeding-place in the north,” and that “ they 
fly rapidly, and, when they alight, drop down suddenly, like the 
the snipe or woodcock, among the reeds or on the mud,” applies 
equally to our native species, as indeed do the general habits 
attributed to that bird.* 
* * Amer. Orn. 5 vol. iii. p. 97. Jardine’s edit. 
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