162 BIRDS OF LANCASHIRE. 



Mr. H. Durnford {Zool, 1873) that " during the time 

 the female is incubating, after feeding, she, in company 

 with the male, flies to the neighbourhood of her nest, 

 and after circling once or twice in the air over the spot, 

 to see whether the coast is clear, flies straight into the 

 hole without alighting on or touching the ground ; the 

 male (called ' Mallard ' by the lighthouse keeper), after 

 performing one or two more circles, flies off to his feed- 

 ing quarters." 



GENUS MARECA. 



WIGEON. 



Mareca PENELOPE (Limiaeus). 



Local Names — Ladt/ Wujcon, Tlnssiauett. 



The Wigeon is a periodical visitant in winter, and a 

 spell of severe weather will bring it on the coast in very 

 large numbers. It is only occasionally seen inland, and 

 is a wary bird, being difficult of approach even in a 

 gunning-punt. Mr. T. Jackson informs me that it 

 begins to arrive in the Lune estuary about the end of 

 October, leaving again early in March, and that if the 

 weather be hard, the birds may be counted by thousands. 

 In the dusk of the evening they come to feed on the salt- 

 marshes, and go away to the open sea again by break 

 of day. Flocks are often seen in the Wyre, but Mr. E. 

 J. Howard says that on the Eibble Wigeon are not so 

 plentiful as formerly, and from the records of the decoy* 



■■'■ Duck-decoying is carried on most successfully from about 9 

 to 10 in the morning, and 3 to 4 in the afternoon. The birds fly 

 off at dusk, and return at day-break to sleep and enjoy them- 



