COMMON WIGEON. 



that this Pintail was so tenacious of her nest in the 

 advanced state of incubation, as to suffer herself to 

 be lifted to examine the eggs, and continued to effect 

 the hatching of them. The hybrids produced from 

 the above were much plainer than the male Pintail, 

 but more like the female, with a little of the head of 

 the male Wigeon. The male had the posterior parts 

 somewhat like the male Pintail, but the middle tail- 

 feathers much shorter. A fact worthy of remark 

 may be added, which is, that the pond wherein the 

 male Wigeon paired with the female Pintail contained 

 several female Wigsons. The Wigeon will also pair 

 with the Common Duck. 



Wigeons frequent the northern parts of Europe, 

 breeding towards the north-eastern countries : the 

 female lays eight or nine dull ashy-green eggs. They 

 are more numerous than any other of this family in 

 the decoys of England, and more are caught in those 

 of Somersetshire and Devonshire than all other wild 

 fowl collectively, as Montagu was assured by an old 

 and experienced decoy-man : they make their ap- 

 pearance in this country on the approach of winter, 

 and return northwards in March. They usually fly 

 in small flocks during the night, and at such times 

 utter their whistling note. They are easily domesti- 

 cated in places where there is plenty of water ; and, 

 according to Montagu, they continue in pairs almost 

 the whole year : they are extremely garrulous and 

 pugnacious ; scolding and fighting (especially with 

 birds of their own species) occupy much of their 

 time. They are very much esteemed for the table. 



