WIGEON. 511 



quantity of clown witli which the eggs arc covered wlien the female leaves 

 the nest. The down of the Wigeon may very easily he recognized hy its 

 sooty-hrown colour and hy the distinctness of the white tips — an important 

 point in discriminating tlie eggs fi'ora those of the White-eyed Pochard 

 and Gadwall, which are ahout the same size and nearly the same colour, 

 though much less of a creamy white, more inclined to dull buffish white, 

 whilst the down which surrounds them is darker, greyer, and almost with- 

 out ])ale tips. The eggs of the Wigeon vary in number from seven to 

 ten, in rare instances to twelve; they are buffish white or cream-colour, 

 and never show the slightest trace of olive. Tliey vary in length from 2"3 

 to 1'9 inch, and in breadth from 1*6 to 1*3 inch. Large eggs of the 

 Wigeon are absolutely indistinguishable from eggs of the Smew ; but the 

 pale grey down of the latter bird and the position of its nest in a hole or 

 under a log of wood effectually prevent any mistake, even if the bird has 

 not been identified. 



The Wigeon is a bird of rapid and almost noiseless flight, and is 

 very shy, especially when collected in large flocks, which are almost impos- 

 sible to approach. According to Naumann the duck sits from twenty- 

 four to twenty-five days ; for about half this period she is attended by the 

 drake, who roosts during the day not far from the nest, and faithfully 

 accompanies his mate every evening to the feeding-grounds ; but long 

 before the eggs are hatched, either his ardour has cooled or imjjortant 

 business calls him elsewhere, and he leaves her to bring up her brood alone, 

 whilst he retires into the marshes to undergo his first moult. As soon as 

 the young are able to fly the female leaves them to fight their own way in 

 the world, whilst she undergoes her one annual and complete moult in the 

 most retired locality she can find. As soon as frosts begin the Wigeon 

 leaves its breeding-grounds for the south. The month of October is the 

 period of the autumn migration in North Germany, but an early winter in 

 the north will often bring them before the end of September, and if the 

 Aveather be not severe, a few remain until they are driven south by the 

 frosts of November. 



In its winter-quarters in India the Wigeon not only frequents the coasts, 

 but resorts to large sheets of water, especially those where the shores 

 are covered with smooth turf. At this season grass and freshwater shells 

 are its principal food. It feeds more by day than the Pintail, and does 

 not so frequently change its ground as that bird. 



The adult male Wigeon in nuptial dress has the head and neck chestnut, 

 shading into black on the chin and throat and into buff" on the forehead and 

 ci'own. The back and scapulars are white, finely vei'miculated with dark 

 grey ; the innermost secondaries are nearly black with white margins to 

 the outer webs, and the longest upper tail-coverts are nearly black with 

 pale margins to the inner webs; the wing-coverts are white except at the 



