278 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



Genus MARECA, Steph.' 



640. MARECA PENELOPE. 



THE WIGEON. 



Anas penelope, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 202 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 166. Mareca pene- 

 lope, Jerd. B. 2nd. ii. p. 804 ; Dresser, Birds Eur. vi. p. 541, pi. , David et 

 Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 499 ; Hume fy Marsh. Game Birds, iii. p. 198, pi. ; Hume, 

 S. F. viii. p. 115, x. p. 245 (note). 



Description. Male. Forehead and crown creamy yellow ; rest of the 

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

 black ; back minutely barred with transverse wavy lines of black and 

 white ; scapulars black edged with white ; tail blackish grey ; wing-coverts 

 pure white ; the greater coverts with velvet-black tips, some of the lesser 

 ones, near the body, pale greyish ; quills cinereous brown ; speculum of 

 three bars, the middle one glossy green, the upper and under ones black ; 

 chin and throat black ; lower part of neck and breast vinaceous red ; abdo- 

 men white, the flanks with black and white wavy lines ; under tail-coverts 

 black, glossed green. 



Bull plumbeous blue, black at the tip ; irides red-brown ; legs dusky 

 leaden. 



The female has the head and neck fulvous-brown, speckled with dusky ; 

 the back and scapulars dusky brown with reddish edges; wing-coverts 

 brown, edged with whitish ; the speculum without the dark green gloss ; 

 the breast and belly much as in the male ; the flanks rufous-brown with 

 ashy tips ; bill and legs more dusky than in the male. 



In some specimens the forehead alone is yellowish, that tint not ex- 

 tending over the top of the head. 



In summer the head and neck of the male become spotted with black ; 

 the back and scapulars are mottled and barred with brown and dusky ; the 

 breast and sides are reddish brown with darker bars and lines ; the under 

 tail-coverts white with brown bars. (Jerdon.) 



Length 19 inches, tail 4'3, wing 10, tarsus T5, bill from gape 1'8. 

 The female is of much the same size. 



I have reproduced Dr. Jerdon's description of this Duck ; for it seems to 

 me very full and satisfactory. 



The Wigeon is said by Mr. Blyth to have occurred in Arrakan. Col. 

 M f Master, who resided in Pegu for some years, remarks that it is com- 

 moner in Burmah than in India. I have never myself met with it ; nor 

 do I know of any sportsman who has shot it in Burmah in recent 

 years. 



