AMERICAN WIGEON. 405 



p. 514), that, so far as he knows, the American Wigeon has 

 not been imported into Europe. 



According to the authors of the recently-published ' Water 

 Birds of North America,' this Wigeon is distributed nearly 

 throughout that continent, breeding in the northern lati- 

 tudes, especially in the west. Adams found it nesting on 

 the small inland lakes near Norton Sound ; Mr. Dall, near 

 Nulato and on the Yukon ; Kennicott, on the Anderson 

 River, and throughout the Fur-countries generally ; and it is 

 said by Dr. Suckley to breed among the inland lakes of 

 Oregon. Throughout British America it is an abundant 

 species in summer. On migration and in winter it visits 

 the greater part of the United States, although somewhat 

 rare in New England. It is numerous on the Chesapeake, 

 where it arrives in October, and, owing to the succulent diet 

 of ralUsneria grass which it finds there, its flesh rivals that 

 of the renowned Canvas-back. Audubon says that it is 

 abundant during winter at New Orleans, where it is much 

 esteemed on account of the juiciness of its flesh, and is best 

 known by the name of Zinzin. In the western country, 

 and in most parts of the Eastern and Middle States, it is 

 called the Bald Pate. It frequents the rice-fields of the 

 South ; straggles to the Bermudas ; and is an annual 

 winter visitant to Mexico, the West India Islands, and 

 Central America. 



The nest of this species is stated by Kennicott to be 

 always on high dry ground, among trees or bushes, at a 

 considerable distance from water ; it is a comparatively 

 small depression among the dry leaves, lined with down, 

 and contains from seven to ten creamy ivory-white eggs, 

 averaging in their measurements 2*2 by 1*5 in. The note 

 is a soft, gentle whistle. 



In the bird obtained by Mr. Bartlett the beak is black ; 

 the irides hazel ; behind the eye a green streak passing 

 backward ; forehead and top of the head dull white ; neck, 

 cheeks, and occiput, pale brownish-white, freckled with 

 black, the occipital feathers a little elongated ; upper part 

 of the back, the scapulars, and part of the wing-coverts 



