770 THE AMERICAN WIDGEON. 



No. 309. 



AMERICAN WIDGEON. 



A. O. U. No. 137. Mareca americana (Ciinel.). 



Synonyms. — W'ir.Kox. ( iRKK.\-ii KArM-;i> \\'ic.i:()-\. I'iai.ui'A'i'i-:. 



Description. — Aduli male: Head and neck white or light huffy, thickly 

 speckled, except on forehead and crown, with dusky; a space from eye along side 

 of crown to occiput bright glossy green, the color scattering behind ; fore-neck and 

 upper breast, sides of breast broadly, and sides narrowly, deep vinaceous, edged 

 more or less with hoary vinaceous ; the sides with fine wavy bars : back and scapu- 

 lars similar, black-and-white-barred, and heavily tinged with vinaceous; tertials 

 lanceolate, velvety black, with greenish reflections on outer webs, and narrowly 

 bordered on outer margin with gray and white; wing-coverts mostly white, the 

 lesser brownish gray, the greater tipped with black; speculum dull black with 

 green gloss onlv nn anterior inner portion, the inner bounding feathers abru])tly 

 gray; rump cold brownish gray, lightening to grayish white on upper tail-coverts, 

 both finely wavy-barred with dusky; tail tapering, the feathers sharply acuminate; 

 the central feathers lilackish, the lateral ones ashy gray; lower breast and belly 

 white ; crissum abruptly black ; axillars white ; lining of wings white and brownish 

 gray; bill grayish dusky, blackening tielow an<l black on tip; feet dull grayish 

 dusky; darker webbed. Old drakes have the extreme chin dusky, and are other- 

 wise lighter about the bill, nearly immaculate on throat, and pure white on crown. 

 Adult female: Without white or green on head, — uniformly streaked instead; 

 vinaceous rejjlaced li\- dull cinnamcjii-brown : oliscureh- mixed with dusky, and 

 edged with brownisli-gra\ ; above dusky or fuscous, barred or edged on back with 

 dull ochraceous; wing-coverts grayish brown sharply edged with white; sf>eculum 

 and boundaries as in male: no solid black on upper tail-coverts and crissum, — 

 fuscous or brownish and whitish instead. Length 18.00-22.00 (457.2-558.8) ; wing 

 10.50 C266.7) ; tail 3.00-4.50 (76.2-114.3) ; bill 1,50 (38,1) ; tarsus 1.56 (39.6). 



Recognition Marks. — Under Mallard size; white "pate" and green head- 

 patches of male; ivbite of middle and (/rcater ^Aug-eoirrts; speculum iliagnostic. 

 Head not ciimamon-red, as distinguished from M. penclope (H.l. 



Nesting. — Nest: on the ground near water; well constructed, of grasses, 

 lined with feathers. Eggs: 8-12, buffy white. Av. size, 2.00 x 1.50 (50.8x38.1). 

 Season: c. Jiuk' ist; one brood. 



General Range. — North .\merica from the .Arctic Ocean south in winter to 

 Guatemala and Cuba. Breetls chiefiv north of the United States. 



Range in Washington. — Common winter resident and migrant thruout the 

 State — prol)al)lv the commonest of the Anatin;e west of the Cascades. A few re- 

 main to breed in the interior. 



Authorities.— Baird, Rep, Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, p. 784. T. C&S. 

 L'. Rh. D'. J. P.. E. 



Specimens. — ( I', of W. ) Prov. R. E. 



