78 
BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 
eminences that here and there rise above the water. These places 
are strewed with rice ; and by the common contrivance called a 
figure four, they arc caught alive in hollow traps. In the month 
of April they pass through Pennsylvania for the north ; but make 
little stay at that season. I have observed them numerous on the 
Hudson opposite to the Katskill mountains. They rarely visit the 
seashore. 
This species measures about fourteen inches in length, and 
twenty-two inches in extent; the bill is long in proportion, and 
of a dark dusky slate ; the front and upper part of the head are 
black ; from the eye to the chin is a large crescent of white, the 
rest of the head, and half the neck, is of a dark slate, richly glossed 
with green and violet, remainder of the neck and breast is black 
or dusky, thickly marked with semicircles of brownish white, ele- 
gantly intersecting each other ; belly pale brown, barred with 
dusky, in narrow lines ; sides and vent the same tint, spotted with 
oval marks of dusky ; flanks elegantly Avaved with large semicir- 
cles of pale brown ; sides of the vent pure white ; under tail-co- 
verts black ; back deep brownish black, each feather waved with 
large semi-ovals of brownish white ; lesser wing-coverts a bright 
light blue ; primaries dusky brown ; secondaries black ; speculum 
or beauty spot rich green ; tertials edged with black or light blue, 
and streaked down their middle with white ; the tail, which is 
pointed, extends two inches beyond the wings ; legs and feet yel- 
low, the latter very small ; the two erescents of Avhite before the 
eyes meet on the throat. 
The female differs in having the head and neck of a dull 
dusky slate instead of the rich violet of the male, the hind-head 
is also Avhitish. The wavings on the back, and lower parts, more 
indistinct; wing nearly the same in both. 
In East Florida this species is common ; and Lewis and Clarke 
record it among the birds of the western coast of North America. 
