COMMON TEAL.
28th of August, 1871, the. punts wan drawn up under the wall on the north side, nnd soon after daybreak
a "bunch" or Teal came in view on the "deep water." Sculling up well within range, the trigger
of the old muzzle-loader used in those days was pulled, but n dull cliek, which happened to put up the
birds, was the sole response. On examiuing the nipple and cap they were found to he in perfect working
order, and then the hammer came in for investigation, and the cause of the misfire was ascertained.
In this the remains of four old exploded caps Here discovered, and their presence would naturally take
olf the force of the fall and account for the loss of this excellent chance of a good shot. The breachloaders
that have since been turned oul put an end to a chance of such mishap*, though had the lock
of the gun been carefully attended to by the punt men when they were cleaning it this could never have
occurred. What had happened, however, proved of little consequence, as an hour later the small party
of Teal were again detected floating quietly together oil' "Smith's Rondes,'* and tive out of the six were
stopped by the charge of the big gnn, which was now in working order. Towards evening the remaining
bin! was secured, the poor little fowl having been evidently uneasy and restless during the whole of the
day owing to the loss of its companions; just as we were on the point of leaving the water it Hew in
front the North Marshes and passing within range was killed by the shoulder-gun.
"During the spring and summer of 1888 I collected a great many ipo llXIM in the west of Boss-shire,
and while returning on the Und of May from a loch near the coast a few miles from Gairloch, where I
had shot a pair of Blaek-I hroated Divers, we came across a duck Teal with her brood in a small reedy
pool on a heather-clad slope on one of the hill-sides. As it was evident the juveniles would make good
specimens of the young in the down, WO halted under the cover of some dead reeds and slabs of stone
and I extracted the cartridges iu the barrels of my shotilder-gun in order to insert some loaded with No. 10
shot, so OS not to damage such tender mites. One of these (a No. 10 bore piu-llre) dropped from my hand
and sinking a large stone the charge instantly went olf, fortunately without I pilfering to have alarmed
the birds or disturbed the equanimity of Nell, my relriever, under whose nose the explosion occurred as
she sat nt my feet and who paid not the slightest attention to the disturbance. The shot, when I fired,
turned over the old Teal and the whole of her family, and Nell was despatched to retrieve them. This
was satisfactorily accompli-bed, with the sole exception that having collected and crammed them all
into her mouth at once, she delivered the old bird and seven downy voting on the hank ; but, despite nil
her efforts to bring it up, the last went down her throat, though she coughed and retched for nearly
1 remarked, while living in the east of Norfolk, that rough Weather, iu autumn and early winter was
sure to bring us Teal on the broads anil on the pools and sbides en (he hills surrounding ihe water. On
the 1st of October, 1879, an cxeei-dmgly blusterous day, with squalls of wind and rain, there were a lot of
Teal with Curlew, Tlovers, and Dunlins on " Swimcoats," one of the hills on Hickling Broad, and some
good shots wen- made, the birds appearing worn out by the protracted severity of the gale. As early as
the 20th of June in 188o, I notired many of the young birds of this species on wing on those waters, the
old drakes still exhibiting the early spring plumage. Five males and two females were seen the same
day on "ltush ITills"; this would indicate that they bad either lost their broods or separated from the
joutig, which were now capable of attending to their own wants, the latter being most probably the case,
I have kept Teal in confinement in our garden near Brighton for several years, hut have l>ceu enabled
to learn little concerning their habits, as they appear exceedingly shy, usually seeking the shelter of the
willows ami other hushes as soon as Ihey DETECT their actions are watched. 1'nder the date of April 11,
1881, I find in my noles referring to these birds. "The Tial drakes whistling almost conliimally when
not disturbed, the sound being somewhat similar to that of the call of the cock Bullfinch. The nolo of
Ihe female, who now and then responds, resembles the squeak of a penny trumpel." Also on the 18th of
COMMON TEAL. :i
July the samo year the following is inserted:—" Females very noisy, indulging in their penny-trun
performances."
The following are a few extracts describing the changes of tin- plumage of the captive drakes:—
••July 11th, Teal drakes showing first signs of moulting."
"July 10th, 1884 Flanks of Teal drakes considerably changed."
"July 30th, 18SL Plumage of drakes very much speckled, almost lost all signs of male attire,
red on the feathers of the head and the yellow lines had totally disappeared from the brightest old a
and the grey markings on the hack had also undergone a great change."
"August 31, IMi. Smaller and darker markings on the plumage of the drake iu summer than
that of the female; the pale cinnamon patch near the tail, however, also indicates the sex at this season."
"October 18th, 1881. The outline of the red colouring on the head of one of the drakes just del'
with Ihe markings, but very imperfect ; the rest of Ihe plumage clouded as iu summer."