. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. MALLARD, TEAL AND SHOVELLER 271 Throughout its home, which embraces the whole United States east of the Rockies, and also far north and far south, it is so common— and also so small—it is not highly prized by sportsmen, and its worst enemy is the sordid market-hunter. Like the other teal, it prefers quiet, inland waters to the wide expanses that back up from the sea. All the teal are quick risers, and also speedy on the wing; but they are rather dull of sense, and easy to a
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. MALLARD, TEAL AND SHOVELLER 271 Throughout its home, which embraces the whole United States east of the Rockies, and also far north and far south, it is so common— and also so small—it is not highly prized by sportsmen, and its worst enemy is the sordid market-hunter. Like the other teal, it prefers quiet, inland waters to the wide expanses that back up from the sea. All the teal are quick risers, and also speedy on the wing; but they are rather dull of sense, and easy to approach. The Blue-Wing is known by the conspicuous white crescent in front of and half encircling the eye, and the bright blue patch, called the "speculum," on its wing. The Cinnamon Teal' is a cinnamon-brown bird of the western half of the United States, once common, but rapidly diminishing in numbers. This species is very difficult to keep long in captivity, being very sensitive to all adverse influences. The Green-Winged Teal' has a very noticea- ble crest, and a beautiful emerald-green specu- lum on each wing. It is found scattered over practically the whole of North America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Barren Grounds to Cuba and Honduras. The Shoveller,^ also called the Spoonbill, is a handsome duck, recognizable by its extreme- ly broad and spoon-shaped bill—the broadest of any American duck. The head and neck of the male are either black, or dark metallic- green; and the body-colors are black, white, blue, and green, disposed. The bill of this bird shows the limit of de- velopment in width, and the comb-like lamellae along the outer edges, which are designed for use in straining minute particles of food out of water, are very pronounced. These minute plates are set cross-wise at the edges of the mandibles, and perform the same functon as the plates of hairy baleen, or "whalebone," in the mouth of a baleen whale. Al
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