541 BRITISH BIRDS. 



April 1870, on the Taw, in Devonshire (Mathew, 'Zoologist/ 1870, 

 p. 218.2). It is said to have once occurred in France. 



The Amci'ican Wigeon breeds in Alaska and in British America as far 

 north as lat. 70°, and its eggs have occasionally been taken in the extreme 

 north of the United States. It winters in the Southern States, the West 

 Indies, and Mexico. 



It scarcely differs in its habits from its Old- World ally, and lays eggs of 

 the same creamy-white colour, which vary in length from 2" 25 to 21 inch 

 and in breadth from l*5."j to l"4-5 inch. 



The adult male American Wigeon diffei's from its European ally iu 

 many important points. In both species the white on the forehead extends 

 far on the crown, but the rest of the head and the neck are chestnut in the 

 European species and nearly white in the American. In the latter species 

 there is also a broad metallic green stripe on the side of the head extending 

 from the eye to the neck, in which respect it resembles the Teal ; but 

 in many European skins traces of this metallic stripe are visible. A 

 more important distinction is to be found in the colour of the back and 

 flanks, which in the European bird are vermiculated with black on a 

 white ground, whilst in the American bird they are vermiculated with 

 black on a vinous ground of nearly the same shade as the breast. The 

 female American Wigeon has a velvety black alar bar, but otherwise it 

 very closely resembles the female of the European Wigeon. A further 

 characteristic of the American species, apparently showing its affinity with 

 the Teal, is that at all ages and in both sexes the axillaries are pure white, 

 with only very slight indications of mottling near the tips. The latter 

 character is the best distinction bctAvecn adult female American Wigcons 

 and young males in first plumage of the European species. Males of the 

 year have only very indistinct traces of the bronze-green band on the sides 

 of the head, and the throat is much more profusely spotted; but they 

 may at once be distinguished, from a similar plumage of the Old-World 

 W^igeon by the new feathers of the back being vermiculated with vinous 

 and black, instead of white and black. Young in first plumage may be 

 distinguished from those of the Common Wigeon by the presence of a 

 metallic alar speci^lum. Young in down scarcely differ from those of the 

 Common Wigeon. 



