( 185 ) 
THE COMMON TEAL. 
Nettium crecca. Native names: Murghabi , Chota murghabi, Kerra, Lohya 
lterra , Patare souch ureuka , Hind. ; Kardo , Sind ; Baigilagairi , Nepal; Naroib, 
Tulsia bigri y Bengal; Killwoai, Madras ; Sorlai haki, Can. ; Goiree, Behar. 
Habitat .—A winter visitor found throughout India and extremely common. 
Description .—Male—chin and patch round the eye black, a mettallic green 
band from the eye down the side of the neck ; rest of the head, rich chestnut. 
Lower neck, mantle, sides of the breast, pencilled black and grey. Outer 
scapulars cream, bordered black on the outer web. Back and rump, light 
brown. Outer web of the primaries, black ; inner tveb, drab ; axillaries, white; 
three or four secondaries, metallic green. Speculum, green or purple in various 
lights. Female—head streaked brown; sides of the head and neck, pale 
buff, spotted and streaked with brown; chin and throat marked with brown. 
Mantle, back, and scapulars, dark brown ; rump and upper tail coverts, dark 
brown. Wing similar to that of the male ; breast, sides of the body and tail 
coverts, white ; belly, whitish. There is no oval spot at the sides of the base of 
the upper mandible. It is war} 7 or approachable according to the treatment 
it receives; it is a fast flyer, is partial to weedy water, and is gregarious. 
Length, 14§- inches; wing, inches; tail, 3 inches. Bill, blackish; irides, 
brown ; legs and feet, grey or lead colour. Weight up to 15 oz. 
