75 
PINTAIL DUCK. 
^JVAS ACUTJl. 
[Plate LXVIII.— Fig. 3, Male.'] 
Gmel. Syst. l,p. S28, No. 28. — Ind. Orn. p. 864, No. 81. Gen. Syn. Ill, p. 526, No. 72; 
Id. Sup. II, p. 354, No. 25.— Temm. Man. d’Om. p. 838.— Cnv. Rig. An. I, p. 537.— Le 
Canard 'a longue queue, Briss. VI, p. 369, 16, pi. 34, fig. 1, 2.-BnFF. IX, p. 199, pi. 
13. PI. £«/. 954.— Bewick,II,/». 324.— ./irci. Zool. No. 500 — Pe ale’s Museum, No. 
2806 ; female^ 2807. 
THE Pintail, or as it is sometimes called, the Sprigtail, is a 
common and well known duck in our markets ; much esteemed for 
the excellence of its flesh ; and is generally in good order. It is 
a shy and cautious bird ; feeds on the mud-flats, and shallow fresh 
water marshes ; but rarely resides on the seacoast. It seldom 
dives ; is very noisy, and has a kind of chattering note. When 
wounded from a boat they will sometimes dive, and coming up 
conceal themselves under the bow, moving round as the boat 
moves. Are vigilant in giving the alarm on the approach of the 
gunner, who often curses the watchfulness of the Sprigtail. Some 
Ducks when aroused disperse in dilferent directions ; but the Sprig- 
tails when alarmed cluster confusedly together as they mount, and 
thereby afford the sportsman a fair opportunity of raking them with 
advantage. They generally leave the Delaware about the middle 
of April, on the way to their native regions the north, where 
they are most numerous. They inhabit the whole northern parts 
of Europe and Asia, and doubtless the corresponding latitudes of 
America. Are said likewise to be found in Italy. Great flocks 
of them are sometimes spread along the isles and shores of Seot- 
land and Ireland, and on the interior lakes of both these countries. 
