AMERICAN WIDGEON—* BALD PATE,” 167 
CHAPTER XVI 
AMERICAN WIDGEON—* BALD PATE.” 
(Anas Americana.) 
Adult Male.—Bill nearly as long as the head, deeper 
than broad at the base, depressed towards the end, the 
sides nearly parallel, the tip rounded. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck 
rather long, slender. Body elongated and slightly de- 
pressed. Feet very short; tibia bare for about a quarter 
of an inch; tarsus very short, compressed. 
Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the head 
and upper neck oblong, small; those along the crown 
and occiput longer; of the lower parts ovate, glossy 
with the extremities of the filaments stiffish. Wings 
rather long, little curved, narrow, pointed. Tail short, 
rounded and pointed, of sixteen feathers, of which the 
middle pair are more pointed, and project considerably. 
Bill light grayish blue, with the extremity including 
the ungines and a portion of the margin black. Iris, 
hazel. Feet light bluish gray, the webs darker, the 
claws dusky; the upper part of the head is white, more 
or less mottled with dusky on its sides; the loral space 
and cheeks reddish white, dotted with greenish black ; 
a broad band from the eye to behind the occiput deep 
green. The lower part of the hind neck, the scapulars 
and the fore part of the back are minutely transversely 
