(BLUE-WINGED TEAL.)
+Anas cyanoptera+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 516 (Mendoza,
Paraná). +Querquedula cyanoptera+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p.
129; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1869, p. 160 (Buenos Ayres), et 1876, p.
384; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 191 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p.
400 (Patagonia); _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 625 (Catamarca);
_Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 273 (Pampas). +Pterocyanea cyanoptera+,
_Burm. P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 368.
_Description._--General plumage red; top of head black; middle of
back and scapularies streaked with black; lesser wing-coverts
blue; wing-speculum green, margined above with white; primary
wing-feathers black, secondaries flammulated with white and buff;
bill black; feet yellow: whole length 18·0 inches, wing 7·6, tail
3·0. _Female_: above blackish, feathers margined with whitish:
beneath dirty white, variegated with brown; throat white, with
blackish freckles.
_Hab._ North and South America.
This Teal has an exceedingly wide distribution in America, being found
from California in the northern continent down to the Straits of
Magellan and the Falkland Islands in the south. Its fine, strongly
contrasted colours give it a very handsome appearance--the wings being
clear grey-blue, the body deep maroon-red, the feet vivid yellow, beak
black, and iris gold-colour. On the pampas it is common, and almost
invariably seen in pairs at all seasons. Many of the Teals are
quarrelsome in disposition; but this species, I think, exceeds them
all in pugnacity, and when two pairs come together the males almost
invariably begin fighting.