THE WIGEON. 



ANAS PENiLOP]^. 



Male—Head and upper part of the neck chestnut, the cheeks and crown 

 speckled with black ; a broad cream-coloured band extending from the bill 

 to the crown ; throat nearly black ; a narrow collar of white and black wavy 

 lines extending over the back and flanks ; lower part of the neck and sides 

 of the breast chocolate colour ; scapulars velvet-black edged with white ; 

 wing-coverts white ; quills ash-brown ; speculum glossy green, with a black 

 band above and below ; tail wedge-shaped, two middle feathers pointed, and 

 the longest, dusky ash ; under tail-coterts black ; bill bluish grey, the tip 

 black ; irides hazel ; feet dusky grey. Female — Head and neck reddish brown, 

 speckled -svith dusky ; back and scapulars dusky bro\\Ti, tlie feathers edged 

 with rusty red; wing-coverts brown, edged with whitish; speculum without 

 the green gloss ; flanks reddish brown. Length twenty inches. Eggs 

 brownish white. 



The name Whew Duck, or Whewer, by wliicli, as Yarrell 

 informs us, this bird is known in some parts of Enghind, 

 was given to it on account of its emitting a shrill whistle 

 while flying. The name is an old one, for Eay and 

 Willughby describe it under the name of " Whewer." 

 Its French name Sijleur, "Whistler," has reference to the 

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