The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-01-17
The Dncks of Chesapeake Bay and its
Tributaries.
by O. D. FOULKS.

by O. D. FOULKS.
From the american Sportsman.
Green-winged teal (Nettion Gardiner
SIS; male, head and neck all round, chest
nut; chin, black; the region around the
eye and along the side Of the head in
broad stripe, rich green, passing into i
blush black patch across the nape; under
parts. white; lower portion Of neck al
round, sides of breast and body, long
feathers of TANKS and scapulars finely
branded with black and greyish white
speculum, broad and rich green; wing GOV.
erts plain greyish brown, the greater GOV
erts tipped with buff; white crescent in
front Of the bend Of the wing: crissum
black, with triangular patch of buffy
white on each side; lower portion of the
green stripe on each side of the head black.
ISL, with a dull edge of whitish below
Female with the wings as in the male.
/ The under parts white, with spots on the
lower neck; above dark brown; feathers
edged with grey; length IA inches; wing,
TAO; stretch of wings, 21.50.
The teal, like the former three species,
feeds along the muddy shores and in the
marshes. They decoy very poorly, but
when once they intend to alight, they will
do SO whether You show yourself or not,
they will also allow boat to approach
very near before taking wing. This duck
is very common in the early fall and late
spring, flying in small punches of from six
/ to fifteen.
! English teal (Ncttion Crecca) similar in
! size and general appearance to the green
wing, but with no white crescent in front
of the. bend of wing; the border of the
( green on the side'of the head is quite dis
tinctly whitish, instead of being merely
! pale, as in the other. This is one Of the
rarest ducks that feed in Chesapeake bay.
1t is considered by naturalists only acct
dental in America, and is confined to the
eastern coast. l shot one out Of a bunch
of four in the spring of 1871, since then
have seen two brought in by the duckers
around Havre de Grace. Should any of
the readers of this article chance upon an
| English teal, would advise him to have
it mounted, as the rarity of the specimen
will more than compensate him for the
trouble.
Blue wing teal (Querquedula DiscorsJ;
male, head and neck above grey: top Of
head, black, with White crescent in front
Of the eye. Under parts from the middle
of the neck purpliSh grey; each feather
with spots Of black; forepart of back
with feathers brown, with two undulating
narrow bands of purplish grey. Feathers
on the flank bounded with dark brown and
purplish grey Back behind and TAIL
greenish brown; crissum, black. Wing
coverts and some of the outer webs of
scapulars, blue; other scapulars, velvet
black or green, streaked with pale reddish
buff. Speculum, glossy green; the outer
greater wing coverts, white; the middle of
under surface of the wing, and patch on
each side of base of tail, white. Females
with top of head brown; the wing coverts
blue and white as in the male. Upper
part of throat, dirty yellowish white
Under parts whitish, with obscure brown
spots. Back, brown. Length, 16 inches;
wing 7-10ths. Stretch of wings, "a. Hab-
its, and action over decoys, similar to the
green wing teal.
Shoveler, spoonbil. Spatula Clypeata),
male. Head and neck green: fore part and
sides of the breast, with greater portion of
scarulars, and the sides of the base of the
tail white; rest of under parts dull pur-
plish chestnut; crissum, rump, and upper
tail coverts, black, the latter CLOSED with
green. Wing coverts blue; the speculum
grass green, edged very narrowly behind
with black, and then with white. Female
with the wings similar, but with the blue
of coverts and scapulars less distinct
Head and neck brownish yellow, spotted
with dusky. Length, 20 inches; wing,
1926. This is rather common duck in
the Chesapeake bay, feeding along the
muddy shores of the marshes. 1t decoys
well, especially if the tide has fallen off
enough to leave part of your stools on the
shore. 1t is most frequently shot by per-
sons decoying for black ducks.
Gadwall; grey duck, (Chauleiasmus
Streperus), male. Head and neck brown
ish white, each feather spotted with dusky;
top of head tinged with reddish. Lower
part of neck, with fore part of breast, and
back blacklist, with narrow bands of white.
The sides of body finely waved with black
and white. Middle wing coverts, chestnut,
greater velvet black, speculum pure white,
bordered by hoary grey, succeeded by
black; crissum, upper tail coverts and bill,
black. Inside of wing pure white. Fee
male with bill dusky, edged with reddish,
wings somewhat like the male, but with
the chestnut more restricted. Length, 90
inches; wing, 1885, stretch of wing, 30.
so. This duck is not common as the for
mer, at least not SO much seen, as it con
fines itself more to salt marshes. 1t is,
however, frequently shot in the river, de-
coying in the same manner as the shoveler.