WIDGEON. 121 



with black and edged with white. Outer coverts, black. Breast 

 and sides vinaceous, the inner feathers of the latter undulated 

 with black. Lower breast and abdomen, pure white. Under 

 tail coverts, black. Tail, fuscous, edged with whitish. Bill, 

 pale grayish blue; tip, black. Legs and feet, plumbeous or 

 bluish gray. Webs, dusky. Total length, about 19 inches; wing, 

 io|; culmen, \\; tarsus, 1^. 



Young Male. — Very similar to the female, but the colors of a 

 deeper and richer hue, the breast and flanks being more vinace- 

 ous, and the markings of the wings more clearly defined. The 

 coverts, though dusky in part, have much more white, and the 

 white edges of the tertials are exhibited. The head is much 

 darker as a rule. There is a considerable individual variation 

 seen in this species, especially among adults of, I may say, both 

 sexes. The coloring of the head and neck is frequently different, 

 and this is observable among old males on the top of the head, 

 and in the extent and depth of the green behind the eye, and along 

 the center of the hind neck. The female has some resemblance 

 to that of the Gadwall, but she can generally be distinguished 

 by the coloring of the speculum; the Gadwall's being mostly 

 grayish, while that of the present species is black and green. 



Adult Female. — Top of head black, feathers margined with 

 white. Forehead, sides of head, neck, and throat, whitish or 

 buflfy white, speckled and streaked with dusky. Upper parts, 

 dusky, barred with buff or ochraceous. Wing coverts, mostly 

 gray, edged with white; the apical half of the outer webs of 

 greater coverts, white, with black tips forming a bar, succeeded 

 by the metallic green and black of the secondaries, making the 

 speculum. Primaries, dusky, fawn color near the shafts. Rump 

 and upper tail coverts, dusky, margined with white. Upper breast 

 and sides, reddish buff or dull vinaceous, the latter barred with 

 dusky, and indistinct dusky blotches on the breast. Rest of 

 under parts, white. Under tail coverts, barred with black and 

 white. Tail, dusky, margined with whitish. Bill, legs, and feet, 

 colored like the male. Total length, about 18 inches; wing, iOj%; 

 culmen, ij%; tarsus, \-^^. 



Downy Young. — Top of head, back of neck, and upper parts, 

 dark olive brown; rest of head and neck, with lower parts ful- 

 vous. A dusky streak from bill, through eye to occiput. Spots 

 on posterior border of wing, and on each side of back and rump, 

 greenish buff. 



