236 AVES NATATORES. [MARECA. 



colours as in the male : head, neck, and all the upper parts, dusky brown, 

 the feathers more or less broadly edged with pale reddish brown ; throat, 

 cheeks, and a band behind the eyes, yellowish white, spotted with black : 

 under parts yellowish white. The young males resemble the female. 

 (Egg.*) White, tinged with buff : long. diam. one inch nine lines ; trans. 

 diain. one inch four lines. 



A common species during the winter months, appearing in small flocks, 

 and frequenting fresh waters. Remains to breed in some parts of the 

 country. Nest (according to Selby) composed of rushes and other aquatic 

 grasses, and lined with down. Eggs ten to twelve in number. Food, 

 similar to that of the Garganey. Obs. The name of Summer Teal ap- 

 pears to be applied in some places indiscriminately to this and the last 

 species, when met with during the Spring of the year. 



GEN. 92. MARECA, Steph. 



245. M. Penelope, Selb. (Wigeon.) Forehead yel- 

 lowish white ; rest of the head, and neck, chestnut-red : 

 back and flanks undulated with black and white. 



Anas Penelope, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 840. Wigeon, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet, fy Supp. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 350. 

 Common Wigeon, Selb. lUust. vol. n. p. 324. pi. 52. (Trachea,) 

 Linn. Trans, vol. iv. pi. 13. f. 9. 



DIMENS. Entire length twenty inches : length of the bill (from the 

 forehead) one inch six lines, (from the gape) one inch nine lines ; of the 

 tarsus one inch six lines; of the tail three inches ten lines; from the 

 carpus to the end of the wing ten inches three lines. 



DESCRIPT. (Male.) Forehead and crown cream-yellow; rest of the 

 head, and upper part of the neck, chestnut-red, the cheeks speckled 

 with black ; throat black ; lower part of the neck, and breast, vinaceous 

 red : back and flanks marked with transverse undulating lines of black 

 and white ; scapulars black, edged with white ; wing-coverts white, some 

 of the lesser ones nearest the body pale grayish brown : quills cinereous 

 brown : speculum composed of three bars, the middle one glossy green, 

 the upper and under ones black : belly and abdomen white : tail cunei- 

 form ; the two middle feathers pointed, and considerably longer than the 

 others ; of a blackish gray colour : under tail-coverts black : bill bluish 

 gray, the tip black: irides hazel: legs dusky lead-colour. (Female.) 

 Head and neck rufous brown, speckled with dusky; back and scapu- 

 lars dusky brown, the feathers with reddish edges; wing-coverts brown, 

 edged with whitish ; speculum without the gloss of dark green : breast, 

 belly, and abdomen, much as in the male : flanks rufous brown, the tips 

 of the feathers inclining to ash-gray : bill and legs dusky gray. Obs. 

 This species appears to be subject to considerable variation of plumage. 

 In very old males, according to Temminck, the forehead alone is yel- 

 lowish white, this colour not extending over the crown. Young males 

 of the year resemble the female. (Egg.) Brownish white : long. diam. 

 two inches; trans, diam. one inch seven lines. 



A winter visitant of common occurrence in most parts of the country. 

 Frequents rivers and marshes, as well as inlets of the sea. Keeps in 

 flocks, and has a peculiar whistling note. Breeds in the north of Europe, 

 and is said to lay eight or nine eggs. Food, aquatic insects and vege- 

 tables, mollusca, and small fish. In confinement, has been known to 

 breed with the Pintail and the Common Duck. 



