564 MARECA AMERICANA, WIDGEON. 



liave sepu eggs from Sacramento, California. These are of the usual 

 sUape, of a nniforiu creamy-buff color, and measure a trifle over 2 inches 

 iu length by about 1.50 in breadth. 



I found Gad walls quite common in September, in Northern Dakota, 

 with Mallard, Teal, and Widgeon ; some doubtless had bred iu the 

 vicinity, as the species certainly does in Montana, along the Milk Kiver 

 and its tributaries. I found unfledged young late in August. 



MARECA AMERICANA, (Gm.) Steph. 

 American Widgeon; Baldp.ate. 



Anas amcricana, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 526. — Lath., Ind. Orii. ii, 1790, 861. — WiLS., 

 Am. Orn. viii, 1814, 86, pi. 69, f. 1.— Bp., Obs. Wils. 182.5, No. 259 ; Syn. 1828, 

 384.— NuTT., Mau. ii, 1834, 389.— AuD., Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 337, pi. 345; Syn. 

 1839, 279; B. Am. vi, 1843, 259, pi. 389.— GiR., B. L. I. 1844, 306.— Sciil., Rev. 

 Grit. 114; M. P.-B. viii, 1865, 45.— Finsch, Abli. Nat. iii, 1872, 66 (Alaska).— 

 DeIvav, N. Y. Zool. ii, 1844, 345. 



Mareca americana, Steph., Shaw's Geu. Zool. xii, 1824, 135. — Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 

 1831, 445.— Sw., Classif. of B. ii, 1837, 366.— Bp., List, 1838, 56 ; C. R. xlii, 1856, 

 650.— Eyt., Mon. Anat. 1838, 116.— Thomp., Ann. Mag. N. H. 1845, 310.— Gray, 

 Gen. of B. iii, 1849, 613 ; Cat. Br. B. 1863, 192.— Gosse, B. Jam. 1847, 408.— Bd., 

 Stausbury's Rep. 1852, 322.— Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 102.— Cab., J. f. O. v, 

 1857, 227 (Cuba).— NEWJ5., P. R. R. Rep. vi, 1857, 102.— Heerm., ibid, x, 1859, 

 pt. vi, 68.— Bd. B. N. A. 1858, 783 ; Mex. B. Surv. ii, 1859, Birds, p. 27.— Cass., 

 U. S. N. Astr. Exp. 1858, 432.— Scl., Ibis, i, 1859, 231 (Guatemala).— McR., 

 Ediub. N. Philos. Jouru. 1859, 229.— Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 

 256.— Ross, Canad. Nat. April, 1862.— Verr., Pr. Ess. Inst, iii, 1862, 158.— 

 Ha YD., Rep. 1862, 176.— Blak., Ibis, 1863, 147.— Dress., Ibis, 1866, 43 (Texas).— 

 Brown, Ibis, 1868, 426.— Gund., Av. Cub. 1866, 388.— CouES. Pr. Phila. Acad. 

 1866, 99 (Arizona).— CouES, Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1868, 299.— Dale & Bann., Tr. 

 Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 298 (Yukon).— Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 466 

 (Wyoming).— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 183 (Utah).— Coues, Kev. 1872, 

 286.— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 11.— Hart., Br. Birds, 1872, 159 (Great Britain, 

 several instances). 



Mareca penelope, b, Blas., List B. Eur. 1862, 21. 



Hal). — North America. Soutli to Guatemala. Breeds in various parts of the United 

 States. Cuba. Accidental in Europe. (Dkgl.-Gerbe, Orn. Eur. 1867, 514.) 

 Not obtained by Captain Raynolds' Expedition. 

 Lieutenant Warren's Expedition. — 5453, Bijoux Hills. 

 Later Expeditions. — 61110, Pass Creek, Wyoming. 



The Widgeon breeds in abundance in Northern Dakota and Montana 

 along the banks of the streams and pools. Some such i)laces which I 

 visited, the resort of many pairs of various Ducks during the breeding 

 season, and of innumerable flocks during the migrations, resemble the 

 duck-yard of a farm, iu the quantities of moulted feathers and amount of 

 ordure scattered everywhere. I was surprised to find young Widgeons, 

 still unable to fly, even as late as the middle of September, at a time 

 when all the other Ducks observed were well on the wiug. Although 

 this bird passes far north, many nest in various parts of the United 

 States. Audubon notices its breeding in Texas, and others in the Mid- 

 dle States, about the Great Lakes, and in Oregon. Mr. Dall found it 

 nesting along the Yukon, with the Pintail. 



The Widgeon's eggs are eight to twelve in number, about 2 inches 

 long by 1^ broad, of a dull, pale buif color. 



Obs. — The European Widgeon {Mareca penelope) is said to have occurred in Wisconsin 

 {Eiintlein), and in Illinois ; its casual presence in the Missouri region is to be antici- 

 pated. Following is its synonymy : 



Mareca penelope, (Linn.) Selby. 



Anas penelope, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 1766, 202.— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 527.— Lath., Ind. 

 Orn. ii. 1790, 86U.— Pall.. Zoog. R.-A. ii, 1811, 251.— Leach, Cat. 1816, 37.— Boie, 

 Isis, 1822, 564.— YiEiLL., Enc. Meth. 1823, 141.— Light., Verz. 1823, 84.— Brehm, 



