52 
DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 
the sunken seeds. They become excessively fat, and although the 
smallest, are one of the most delicious of our ducks. 
Vernon Bailey. 
GENUS QUERQUEDULA. 
General Characters. — Tail feathers 14, bill of nearly uniform width; 
upper and lower outlines swollen toward end ; wing with large patch of 
light blue, speculum green in males. 
KEY TO ADULT MALES. 
1. Lower parts clear bright cinnamon .cyanoptera, p. 52. 
1'. Lower parts thickly spotted with dusky on vinaceous . discors, p. 52. 
KEY TO FEMALES. 
1. Under parts mottled dusky and dark buff . . . cyanoptera, p. 52. 
1'. Under parts mottled dusky and gray. discors, p. 52. 
140. Querquedula discors (Linn.). Blue-winged Teal. 
Adult male. — Sides of head slaty gray, with purple gloss ; white crescent 
in front of eye bordered by black ; under 
parts vinaceous, finely spotted with 
dusky ; back scalloped and streaked with 
dusky and vinaceous; wing bright blue 
at base, middle coverts tipped with white 
and buffy, speculum iridescent green; 
under tail coverts black, base of tail with 
white patch on either side. Adult female: 
crown mainly dusky, rest of head and 
neck speckled and streaked with dusky ; 
back dusky; under parts gray, mottled 
with dusky; wing with lesser coverts 
blue, greater tipped with white, spec¬ 
ulum greenish. Young : belly white, wing without green. Length: 14.50- 
16.00, wing 7.00-7.50, bill 1.40-1.65. 
Distribution. — North America, but chiefly east of Rocky Mountains ; in 
winter south to Ecuador. 
Nest. — On dry ground, or in grass or reeds in marshes ; made of grass 
and lined with feathers. Eggs: 8 to 12, pale buffy. 
The blue-winged teal is one of the commonest ducks throughout 
the middle portion of- North America, but towards the west coast it 
becomes scarce, its place being filled by the more abundant cinna¬ 
mon teal. It breeds through most of its United States and northern 
range and migrates early, before the really cold weather. By prefer¬ 
ence it inhabits the marshes and grass-fringed ponds, keeping out of 
sight when it can; but during migration, like many other ducks, 
it depends for safety on a wide expanse of open water. 
Vernon Bailey. 
141. Querquedula cyanoptera (Vieill.). Cinnamon Teal. 
Adult male. — Head, neck, breast, and sides bright cinnamon brown, 
