93 THE TEAL. Anas crecca, Linn. Is common around the coast and on inland waters, and is to a considerable extent indigenous. Belfast Bay-Small flocks, containing at most about forty birds, have generally appeared here so early as the month of August, from which period, until the end of November, they generally remained, and afterwards were seldom seen, except when the inland lakes became frozen over; under such circumstances they have been abundant in the months of January and February: in March they have been sometimes obtained. These birds have very much diminished in numbers during the last twenty years; the wild-fowl shooters considering that there is not now (winter of 1849-50*) above one teal here for every fifty or sixty previous to that time. From 400 to 500 birds were frequently then seen in a flock, during frost, and occasionally many more, when they appeared alighting, and covering over masses of floating ice in numbers like the common grallatorial birds. During snow-storms, especially, but at other times also, they were frequently killed on the water, by being fired at from behind the ditch-banks near the margin of the bay; and often in company with wigeon. Part of one winter, within the period named --that of 1837-38-they were plentiful; and about fifty were obtained by the discharge of a swivel-gun. In another in stance, thirty-two were procured at a shot. The female birds, when wounded, are said to quack like the duck, but in a much weaker tone. The diminution of teal, alluded to in Belfast Bay, might be attributable to the increased quantity of shipping and steamvessels, a great extent of their feeding-ground being enclosed within railway embankments, and constant persecution by the wild-fowl shooters having swivel-guns, although their numbers * About a hundred in a flock were seen this winter during severe frost. were not affected elsewhere. But the decrease is only too general. Dublin market is much less numerously supplied from decoys and otherwise than formerly. A fine decoy, exclusively for teal, at Mountainstown, near Navan, county Meath, in which immense quantities were taken, has, for many years past, ceased to be worked. Its proprietor remarked, in 1845, that “the country has been so drained and improved, that all kinds of wildfowl are now very scarce, and a decoy is among the things we read of, rather than see." On looking to the contents of the stomachs of twenty-seven teal, killed in the north of Ireland at various times, from late in autumn until the beginning of spring, I have ascertained that they feed chiefly on the seeds of aquatic plants of various kindsamong others, of rushes, duck-weed (Lemna), &c.—also, on other vegetable matter, and occasionally on insect larvæ : a quantity of sand and gravel likewise is taken into the stomach. One bird, killed in February, near Donaghadee, contained six of the remarkablelooking rat-tailed larvæ of Elophilus tenax, Latr., which were quite fresh, so that they must have been taken alive, or very soon after death; some husks, together with several grains of flax-seed, were also included. Audubon has remarked of the green-winged teal of America, which he considers the same as the European species, "that being more select, or confined to vegetable food, than most other ducks, their flesh is delicious." Sir William Jardine is of opinion, that there is no migration of teal to the south of Scotland; but, to the shores and fresh-waters of Ireland, I feel satisfied that there must be, or, in other words, that the numbers which appear in winter cannot have been all bred in the island. The birds generally inhabiting marine localities, as well as a proportion of those living on inland lakes, &c., are, probably, from higher latitudes. They breed in suitable localities, in all parts of Ireland, that are sufficiently retired, often in those resorted to for the same purpose by wild ducks. A few of these in the county of Antrim, and not far from Belfast, may be mentioned :-Lough Morne, near Carrickfergus (according to Mc Skimmin, some years ago) ;---Dro medaragh, where, in the middle of July 1833, a relative was shown a nest, in boggy ground, on the summit of a high hill, and about a quarter of a mile from water: it contained at least a dozen of eggs, which were quite concealed from view, by being covered over with feathers;-Lough Beg, adjoining Lough Neagh (on the eastern side), whither an acquaintance was accustomed to go in the season, for the purpose of shooting young wild-ducks, or flappers," and young teal ;-Springmount, near Clough, where some annually breed. About Baldoyle, near Dublin, teal and wild ducks are said to nidify;-also in the county of Wexford; at Anagh bog, between Cork and Bandon (in 1849);† in the county of Kerry, on the islands of the Connemara lakes, where the young are described as "fierce little things," following the canoe of the person who was observing them.§ On the 11th of June, 1842, a couple of young teal, "nearly fledged, except the wings," were sent, from the Bog of Allen, to Mr. R. Davis, jun. (of Clonmel), who remarks, that on their being placed in a large vessel of water, they dived with surprising swiftness whenever he approached, and seemed, from their diving incessantly and remaining down a long time, as much at home beneath the surface, as little grebes or dabchicks (Podiceps minor).|| Teal, to the number of at least twenty pair, are considered, by the decoy-man, to breed in the demesne at Caledon. The teal is naturally the least wild of any of our Anatide, though it soon learns to beware of its enemy, Man: in localities of all kinds, where a little water, or sometimes even moisture, prevails, we occasionally come close upon this beautiful little duck. I was once much interested with three teal that came to a pond at Wolf-hill. They were old birds (a male and two females), and, being at first somewhat wild, evinced that they had learned the evil of man's ways towards their kind. By making very gradual approaches almost from day to day-towards them, taking care * Mr. R. J. Montgomery. The late T. F. Neligan (1837). + Mr. Robert Warren, jun. § Mr. W. M'Calla. When at the Island of Islay, in January 1849, I learned that the teal breeds commonly there. never to cause alarm, they soon learned that they were in a place of safety, and eventually admitted of a close approach without taking wing. As a gun was not permitted to be fired on the grounds, they were always to be seen during the day for about six weeks. But, unluckily, trusting themselves outside the place, though only at a few yards' distance, they fell a sacrifice, which I learned by my next neighbour boasting what a fine shot his son had made that morning, killing two teal on the water with his first barrel, and a third, as it rose, with his second one ;-a lamentable result, caused by my having taught the poor birds that they might trust to man. I have known several instances of a similar kind with respect to other birds. Teal remain congregated late in the season. On March the 31st, 1843, I saw immense numbers on and about the lake at Lurgan House, county of Armagh. They rose in very large flocks, and, during the forty minutes occupied in walking round the lake, their cries were as incessant as the cawing at a rookery in the breeding season. A lady of our party remarked, that they are so abundant here in winter, and so many flocks are on wing at the same time, that their numbers and constant crossing of each other have often reminded her of the figure of a Scotch reel. In the first week of April, 1849, small flocks were seen on Ballydrain lake. That locality, where they are protected, is a favourite haunt of teal during the day in autumn and winter. By night, which is their feeding-time, they are all scattered far abroad. In my mind, this splendid little duck-the smallest of European Anatida—is associated with the beautiful in winter scenery, with the variously-hued wooded banks of the lake or river, lowly bordered with pale yellow reeds, green rushes, grey willows, or all combined. In the bare flooded bog or brickfield*--for any little plashy spot attracts it-I have thought nothing comparatively of the teal as, when it rose on wing, and added to an already *Not only a few birds, but a flock of a dozen or more, have come under my notice in the old brick-fields close to Belfast, on the western side. highly finished picture a graceful element of life. Its sight is amazingly acute. On my quietly advancing to the banks of this lake, at a great distance from a large flock, they would, when first seen, be reposing on the water in silence; but the next moment, having perceived me, would commence calling in a manner grating to the ear, and nearly resembling the sound produced by the solid wooden wheel of an old-fashioned Irish car wanting grease. They would then lightly spring into the air, wheel through it with amazing rapidity, within a few seconds of time, appearing backed by the transparent medium of the water of the farther part of the lake, by the "evergreen pine," or mass of towering silver firs, by the soft golden floating clouds, or sweeping before extensive ranges or broken groups of majestic deciduous trees; their colour appearing different every moment as they were "relieved" by these different objects, the greatest contrast being when they seemed all dark in hue, with the upper surface of their bodies turned towards me, or shone like silver in the sunlight when the white under plumage was exposed. So rapid are their movements, that it requires an effort-almost a strainingof the eye to follow them. Being intent on alighting, they will now from on high repeatedly sweep down towards the water, into which some individuals from the flock descend at every circuit until the whole are gradually reposing on a more distant part of the lake, where their call, occasionally unheard during their more distant flight, is again distinctly given forth. Audubon, in the third volume of his work (p. 219), gives an admirable description, as a sportsman, of the habits of the greenwinged teal of America, now considered distinct from the European species. Wilson's observation, that the blue-winged teal (Anas discors, Cuv.) "is the first of its tribe that returns to us in the autumn from its breeding-place in the north," and that “they fly rapidly, and, when they alight, drop down suddenly, like the the snipe or woodcock, among the reeds or on the mud," applies equally to our native species, as indeed do the general habits attributed to that bird.* * Amer. Orn.' vol. iii. p. 97. Jardine's edit. H |