THE WIOEON 



Anas pmclope. 



H]^]R]^] is D O me mber of the 

 Duck family so famijiarly 

 knowii or so widely jlistri- 

 buted thi-qughout GrgiliLBi'i- 

 tain a^ the Wigeon. 



Every winter these birds 

 visit our shores in enormous 

 numbers^ and may be found 

 not only on the sea-coasts, 

 but upon almost every large 

 sheet of water^ fen, or river 

 in the country. The markets 

 and poulterers^ shops are in- 

 variably well stocked with 

 them ; and if the total num- 

 ber of Wigeons exposed in 

 one season alone could be 

 ascertained, some very start- 

 ling figures would certainly 

 be the result. 



Some of these birds are 

 caught, along with Wild 

 Ducks, in decoy nets, and a 

 great many fall victims to 



