The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-11-11
THE BLUE-wINGED TEAL.

THE BLUE-wINGED TEAL.
There are several varieties of the teal,
having different names according to color,
&c, such as the green winged teal, SO
named from its having green in place OF
blue of the blue-wing, which it resembles,
except it is considerably larger; the red
breasted teal, a native of the country west
of the Rocky Mountains, and so ably de-
scribed by Prof. Baird, of the Smithsonian
Institute.
In describing the blue-winged teal we
will endeavor to be as plain as possible,
avoiding all scientific and foreign appella-
tions thus making the description clear
and ineligible to the minds of those who
may have seen the bird but knew its name
not. The blue living (Querguedula discors)
is about sixteen inches long by twenty
four in alar extent, with a bill nearly two
inches in length. The head and neck
above are plumbeous grey, with the top Of
the head black, having crescent in front
of the eyes; the under parts purplish,
steely grey, each feather spotted with black;
the fore part of the back is brown with two
bands Of purplish grey; behind this and
the tail are a grecnish brown; under tail
coyerts black; outer web, some of the soap
ulars and thewing coverts bright steely
blue; greater coverts tipped with white;
bill black, with grass green speculum
below them. The female is not nearly so
handsome as her mate, having brown top
feathers on the head, while the neck and
breast are a yeilowish white; back brown
with paler edgings; under parts whtish
with obscure brown spots, and the same
blue and white in the wings. This may
truly be called migratory bird, as it
n1xr cfnxyc fnr,n y,frfb 49,
in one place, though It's found in almost
every state east of the Rocky Mountains,
and when dreary, bleak winter begins to
drive its frosted and ice gemmed pageant
to the southwark we find them preceding
him, and, as it were, leading the van,
sojourning for a week or so in the creeks of
each State as they go South, affording each
States sportsmen an opportunity of max
ing it's acquaintance, but when our rivers
are ice-bound they may be seen in large
flocks swimming around in the creeks and
bayous at the mouth of the Mississippi.
This genus of birds is not nearly SO
fearless and hardy as its BROTHER the cret-
ton carolinensis, or green-wing, but will
fly two or three times over a place before
they conclude to settle, but when they
have once done so, as all sportsmen know,
they are nearly as difficult to start up as
tame duck. They make their nests along
the borders of the northern lakes. in clumps
of decayed vegetable matter, lining it well
inside with feathers, which both drake and
duck pick from their breasts, before laying
their eight or ten dirty yellowish eggs,
tlecked over with deeper tinge or brown;
in the country where the birds lay, the eggs
are eagerly sought after, not only for table
use lin which state they are considered q
great delicacy,) but for expectation to New
York and Boston, at which places they are
received in barrels, and liberal prices paid
for them, and tits to this destruction of
eggs we can attribute the ever growing
scarcity of our water fowl.
IT'S said to afford a pleasant sight, to
stand near the places where they have the
nests, and watch them as they, circling
round each glance of the wings flashing
back the suns rays as from polished steel;
this is sometimes, though not commonly,
observed while they are with us.
They are graceful tlier, good swimmer
and diver, and having a comparatively long
neck it feeds while swimming, and being
very choice in its selection of food, its flesh
is esteemed by epicures as quite delicacy,
and by some preferred to our friends of the
Chesapeake, the canvas-b back, on account
of its not having any of that strongness of
flavor, generally peculiar to grass-cating
ducks.
ToCn Point, Nd, Nor. 1871