PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 207 



The feathers have a dark median patch, which does not reach either to the tip 

 or edges of the feather. Average size of 77 eggs, T77 x 1*28 in. [45 x 32*5 mm.]. 

 (PL T.) Incubation is performed by the duck alone, and lasts, according to 

 Heinroth, about 24 days ; but only 22 days by Winel's estimate. Full clutches 

 may be found in East Anglia during the last fortnight of April or early in May, 

 sometimes in Central Europe as late as the end of June, possibly in the case of 

 birds which have lost their first clutch. Only one brood is reared during the 

 season. [F. c. R. J.] 



5. Food. Small fish, aquatic insects, small molluscs, and aquatic vegeta- 

 tion. The young feed largely on aquatic insects, small molluscs, and Crustacea, 

 and are guided in their search for food by the female, [w. P. p.] 



[Mareca penelope (Linnseus). Lady-wigeon ; russiannett (Lanca- 

 shire) ; winder, pandle (Kent) ; whew (Northumberland) ; whew-duck. 

 French, canard siffleur ; German, Pfeif-Ente, Bldss-Ente ; Italian, fischione]. 



I. Description. In the male wigeon the speculum is almost black, save 

 for a broad band of metallic green which forms its anterior border. It is bounded 

 in front by a black band formed by the tips of the major coverts, which else, 

 with the rest of the wing-coverts, are white. The female may at once be dis- 

 tinguished from other species of the same sex by the fact that the speculum is of 

 a dusky grey, bounded in front by a white bar. The sexes differ conspicuously, 

 and there is a striking seasonal change of plumage in the male. (PL 160.) Length 

 18 '5 in. [469 mm.]. The head and neck of the male are of a chesnut-red, save the 

 crown which is cream coloured, while the eye is surrounded by a broad metallic 

 green ring, and metallic green spots besprinkle the sides of the head and neck. 

 The interscapulars, inner scapulars, rump, and flanks are marked by fine grey and 

 white vermiculations. The outer web of the secondary overlapping the inner 

 border of the speculum is white, the next three remiges of the series are velvet 

 black with white edges, and the lateral upper tail-coverts and under tail-coverts are 

 black. The fore-breast is of a greyish pink tinge, while the breast and abdomen 

 are white. The beak is blue, tipped with black, the feet and legs are lead coloured, 

 and the iris dark brown. In the eclipse dress the plumage differs from that of 

 the female in that the crown is dusky, slightly spotted with brown, the sides of the 

 face and neck mottled closely with grey and white, and the whole of the rest of 

 the upper surface is dusky, transversely barred with buff ; while the abdomen is 



