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THE WIGEON. 



Mareca PENELOPE (Linnaius). 



Small parties of Wigeon begin to make their appearance on our 

 coasts about the end of August, but the bulk of the immigrants 

 arrive from the middle of October onwards, and immense numbers 

 are often to be found in sheltered bays and tidal waters until the end 

 of February, while in March and April the return migration from the 

 south sets in. In Scotland the ^^'igeon has long been known as a 

 partially resident species, breeding in some numbers over the greater 

 part of Sutherland, and sparingly in Caithness, Ross and Cromarty, 

 while eggs have been taken in the Orkneys and Shetlands, and of late 

 Perthshire and Selkirkshire have been added to its nesting-area. In 

 1897 a nest was found near Scarborough, and there is presumptive 

 evidence that the bird has bred exceptionally in the very south of 

 England. In Ireland it is common during the colder part of the 

 year, and it seems possible that a few pairs may nest in cos. Fer- 

 managh and Tyrone (Ussher). 



This Duck is a summer-visitor to the Faeroes and Iceland, occa- 

 sionally wandering to Greenland. It is very abundant in Scan- 

 dinavia and Finland, but Kolguev and AVaigats (70° N.) are about 

 its limits ; while it breeds in Russia as far south as Ekaterinburg ; 

 and sparingly in Denmark, Holland, and Northern Germany. On 



