MARECA. 691 



good day's sport, besides other game. Hume, like myself, thinks that on the 

 whole, next to the Mallard, the Pintail is the best duck for the table in India, 

 ic Gadvvall ranking third. 



Gen. Mareca, Steph., Gray, Gen. B. iii. p. 614. 



Bill uniform in width ; laminae prominent; first and second quills of wing 

 longest; tail short, cuneate ; hind toe small. 



Mareca penelope. The Wigeon. 



1394. Mareca penelope (Lmn.\ Bodd. Tab. PL Eni. p. 825 ; 



Gould, B. Eur. pi, 359; Jerd., B.lnd. iii. p. 804; "Dresser, B. Eur* vi. 

 p. 541, pi.; Hume, Sir. F. i. p. 61 ; iv. p. 30; vii. p. 494; Hume and 

 Marsh^ Game Birds, iii. p. 198, pi. ; Hume, Str. F. viii. p. 115 ; x. p. 245 

 (note); Murray, Vert. Zool., Sind, p. 299 ; Oates, B. Br. Burm. p. 278. 

 Anas penelope, Linn., Syst* Nat. i. p> 202 ; Blyth, B. Burm. p. 166. The 

 WIGEON. 



Male. Forehead and crown creamy yellow, remainder of head and neck 

 rich chestnut ; cheeks speckled with black, also a speckled band down the 

 middle of the throat in some ; nape narrowly barred with black and pale 

 reddish white ; chin and throat black ; lower neck and breast vinaceous red, 

 lightest in front, darkest on the sides ; abdomen white, the flanks with trans- 

 verse undulating lines of black and white ; under tail coverts black, with a 

 greenish gloss ; tail blackish grey ; back minutely barred with transverse 

 undulating lines of black and white ; scapulars black, edged with white ; wing 

 coverts white, the greater ones with velvet black tips ; speculum glossy green, 

 bounded above and below with black ; bill plumbeous, the base black ; legs 

 and feet plumebous or brown ; irides red brown. 



Length. 19 to 19-5; wing IO to 10-5 ; tail 4 to 4-5; bill 17 to 1-82. 

 Females are smaller; length 17-5 to 19; wing 9-3 to 8*0 inches ; tail 3*5 to 5. 

 In colouring the female has the head and neck fulvous brown, speckled with 

 dusky ; upper parts dusky or deep brown the feathers with reddish edges ; 

 speculum without the green gloss ; feathers of the flanks rufous brown, tipped 

 with ashy. 



