290 ANATID^E. 



probable that the birds in this district were at the most 

 southern limit of their breeding-stations, and bore no pro- 

 portion whatever to the immense flocks which frequent 

 our coasts in winter." The note of the Wigeon is a shrill 

 whistle, and in some parts of England it is in consequence 

 called the Whew Duck and Whewer ; its name in France, 

 Canard Siffleur, has reference to the same circumstance. 

 In some books on cookery, and in bills of fare, Wigeons 

 are called Easterlings; and all over Lapland they are 

 called Grass Ducks. The note of Richard Dann, Esq., 

 in reference to the Wigeon in Scandinavia, is as follows : 

 " This is the most abundant of all the Duck tribe in 

 Lapland, frequenting the grassy swamps, lakes, and rivers. 

 They appear with the first breaking-up of the ice, in pairs, 

 and as soon as the female begins to lay, the male loses 

 his beautiful plumage, and secretes himself in willow 

 swamps, and in the most inaccessible morasses ; nor does 

 he recover his former appearance until November or De- 

 cember. The females lay from five to eight eggs. They 

 also breed in the Dofre Fiell, as high as the birch grows, 

 and in many other parts of Norway and Sweden, but only 

 in straggling pairs. They migrate south early in Sep- 

 tember, appearing in great flocks on the coast of Norway 

 and Sweden. The young keep among the rushes and 

 reeds in the lakes, the old birds betaking themselves to 

 the shallows on the coast ; but they, unlike the Mallard, 

 entirely leave Sweden in the winter." 



Mr. Proctor sent me word that a few breed in Iceland, 

 forming their nest generally among low bushes near the 

 edge of the fresh-waters. 



The female Wigeon has not been known to breed in 

 confinement that I am aware of, but the male has bred 

 with a Pintailed Duck, and in other instances with the 

 Common Duck. A preserved specimen given me by 



