A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman.

George Montagu

Date:: 1866

Credit: A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

366/440 page 338

$TANG-WHAAP. TEAL. T. Tang-Whaap.—See ‘Wliimbrel. tS or Tarret.} Common. TaiTOck.—See Gull, Tarrock. [Tatler, Yellowshanked.— See Sandpiper, YeUowshanked.] [Tawny Bunting.—See Bunting, Snow.] [Tawny Owl.—See Owl, Tawny.] Teal.—[ Farrell, iii. 282; Hewitson, cxiv. 410.] Anas Crecca, Lin. Syst. i. p. 204, 33 ; Gmel. Syst. ii. p. 532 ; Ind. Om. ii. p. 872,100; Lath. Syn. Sup. ii. p. 360 ; Lin. Trans, iv. p. 108, t. 13, f. 1 (trachea); Be- wick, Br. Birds, ii. t. p. 376. Querquedula secunda Aldr, Raii Syn. p. 147, A. 6 ; Ib. 102, 14; Ib. 148, 9 (fern.); Will. p. 290, t. 74. Quei’quedula minor, Bris. vi. p. 436, 32, t. 40, f. 1; Ib. 8vo, ii. p. 475. Petite Sai’celle, Buf. ix. p. 265, t. 17, 18. Com- inon Teal, Br. Zool. ii. No. 290; Ib. fol. t. Addend.; Arct. Zool. ii. p. 577, P.; Will. Angl. p. 6, t. 74; Albin, i. t. 100; Hayes, Br. Birds, t. 29 ; Lath. Syn. vi. p. 651, 88; Sup. p. 276 ; Lewin, Br. Birds, vii. t. 260 ; Wale. Syn. i. t. 76 ; Bull. Cat. Dorset, p. 21. Vae. : Anas Circia, Lin. Syst. i. p. 204, 34 ; Gmel. Syst. i. p. 533 ; Raii Syn. p. 148, 7 ; Will. p. 291, t. 76. Querquedula oestiva, Bris. vi. p. 445, 33 ; Ib. 8vo, ii. p. 477. Sai’ceUe d’ete, Buf. ix. p. 268. Anas Balbul, Gmel. Syst. ii. p. 443, 124 ? Sum- mer Teal, Will. Angl. p. 378, t. 76 ; Albin, ii. t. 103,104; Lath. Syn. vi. p. 552, 89.— This species of Duck weighs about twelve ounces ; length fourteen inches and a half. The bill is black; iiides light hazel. Head and neck bay; on the side of the head a green patch passing backwards, bordered beneath with a whitish line; the lower part of the hind neck, upper part of the back, and part of the scapulars, as well as the sides of the body, a mixture of black and white in fine undulated lines; lower part of the neck before and breast whitish, marked with roundish spots of black; belly of the same colour, without spots; vent black, bounded with buff-colour; wing-coverts brown ; quills dusky ; some of the secondaries wholly black, and others glossy green, on their outer webs, forming a speculum on the wing; the coverts im- mediately over these are tipped with white; the tail is cuneiform, consisting of sixteen brown feathers, edged with whitish; legs dusky brown. The female has the head, neck, back, and sides of the body brown, the feathers more or less edged with whitish ; belly and vent white ; speculum in the wing like the male. The male of this species has a bony labyrinth in the lower part of the windpipe. The Teal is the smallest of the Duck tribe. It comes to us in winter, and freqrfents our fresh waters in small flocks. Many are caught in the decoys;' some few breed with us. Mr. White, in his ‘ Natural History of Sel- bome,’ mentions young Teal having been taken on the verge of a pond in Wolmer Forest. It is also said to breed in the mosses about Carlisle; and we are in- formed they have been knowm to breed in confinement. The nest is not uncommon in France. It is made of rushes hned with down, placed on the side of a pond so as to rise or fall with the water. The eggs are about the size of those of a Pigeon, of a dirty white, spotted with brown. This bird, like most of the Duck tribe, is sub- ject to variety, which has occasioned it to be made into two or three species, to one of which has been given the name of Sum- mer Teal. Supplement.—The labjuinth at the bot- tom of the trachea of the Teal is very small, of a bony texture, but very thin, and of a suborbicular shape, about the size of a pea. Teal, African.—Supplement.—Anas Afri- can a, Gmel. Syst. i. p. 529; Ind. Orn. ii. p. 876. Surcelle d’Egypte, Buf. ix. p. 273; PI. Enl. 1000. African Teal, Lath. Syn. vi. p. 555. — There appears much rea- son for behe\ing that this and the Nyroca Duck are varieties of the same species, and which it will be seen in the preceding pages were considered as differ- ing only in sex from the Ferruginous Duck of Mr. Pennant. We are assured that several of the Nyroca have been lately bought in London. Teal, Cricket.—See Garganey. Teal, Summer.—See Teal and Garganey. Teeting.—See Lark, Tit. Tee-Whaap. Teewit or Teuchit. See Lapwing. [Temminck’s Sandpiper, Stint or Tringa. —See Sandpiper, Temminck’s.]$