81 



MARECA. WIGEON. 



The Wigeons are in all respects precisely similar to many 

 of the Teals, with the exception of having the bill shorter, 

 proportionally broader, and rather narrowed, instead of be- 

 coming wider toward the end. In this respect they, of 

 course, also differ from the Ducks properly so called. If our 

 common Wigeon had the bill a little longer and narrower, it 

 would occupy a position in immediate approximation to the 

 Gadwall and Pintail. As it is, there is perhaps little neces- 

 sity for separating it generically ; but as it may be distin- 

 guished from them by the bill, and as the principle of minute 

 subdivision has hitherto been followed by me, I may be 

 excused for adopting the general opinion in this matter. 



Bill considerably shorter than the head, higher than 

 broad at the base, gradually depressed and narrowed toward 

 the end, the breadth of which is somewhat less than that 

 of the base ; upper mandible with the lateral basal sinuses 

 broadly rounded, the frontal angles very short and obtuse, 

 the dorsal line gently sloping at first, then slightly concave 

 and still sloping to the unguis, which is rather large, obovate, 

 decurved at the end ; the ridge broad and flattened at the 

 base, gradually narrowed, convex beyond the nosti'ils, the 

 sides at the base erect, toward the end convex, the edges 

 slightly sinuous, the extremities of the numerous lamellae 

 narrow but rounded, and about the middle of the bill pro- 

 jecting a little, the nasal sinus small, elliptical, sub-basal, 

 and near the ridge ; lower mandible almost straight, with the 

 intercrural space long, rather narrow, and bare, the crura 

 slender, with their sides convex, gradually sloping more out- 

 wards toward the end, the vmguis large, roundish, a little 

 convex, the lateral lamellse oblique and prominent, the upper 

 very small, and rounded. 



Mouth rather narrow ; anterior palate concave, with a 

 median papillate ridge, and on each side a series of striae, 

 besides the lateral lamellae, Avhich are well marked, but not 



VOL. V. G 



