324 NATATORES. MARECA. WIGEON. 



The Wigeons are distinguished from the Teals by a much 

 shorter and less cylindrical bill, and from the Ducks, by that 

 member becoming more contracted and narrow, instead of 

 widening towards its tip. The laminae of the bill are also 

 broader and set wider apart, approaching in form nearer to 

 those of the subfamily Anserina. These birds also vary in 

 their habits, for instead of searching and sifting the mud 

 with their bills for insects, seeds, &c., upon which food the 

 preceding genera chiefly subsist, they live principally on 

 grasses and vegetable diet, which they pluck in the same 

 manner as Geese. Their flight is strong and swift, and they 

 have a peculiar shrill whistling call-note. In the shape of 

 the tracheal labyrinth they resemble more the Pintail/than 

 any of the other species ; and the middle feathers of the tail 

 are also acute, and considerably longer than the rest. 



COMMON WIGEON. 



MARECA PENELOPE, Mihi. 

 PLATE LII. 



Mareca fistularis, Shaw's Zool. 12. 131. pL 50. 



Anas Penelope, Linn. Syst. 1. 202. 27 Gmel Syst. 1. 527- Rail Syn. 140. 



A. 3 Will. 288. t. 72 Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 860. sp. 71 Flem. Br. 



Anim. 1. 124. sp. 190. 



Anas fistularis, Briss. Orn. 6. 391. 21. t. 35. f. 2. 

 Le Canard Siffleur, Buff. Ois. 9. 169 t. 10. et 11 Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 



2. 840. 



JLe Siffleur, Cuv. Reg. Anim. 1. 538. 



Pfeifente, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 4. 1109 Meyer, Tasschenb. 2. 541. 

 Wigeon, Whewer, or Whim, Penn. Br. Zool. 2. 601. No. 286 Arct. Zool. 



2. 574. K Will. (Angl.) 375. t. 72 Albin's Birds, 2. pi- 99. Lath. Syn. 



6. 518. 63 Id. Sup. 2. 354. Id. in Trans. Linn. Soc. 4. pi. 13. f. 9. 



(Trachea.) Mont. Ornith. Diet. 2. Id. Sup.Lewiri's Br. Birds, 7. 



pi. 251. Bewick's Birds, ed. 1826, 2. p. t, 350 Rennie's Mont. Ornith. 



Diet. 542. 

 Common Wigeon, Shaw's Zool. 12. 131. pi. 50. 



PROVINCIAL Pandle-whew, Yellow Poll, Whew-Duck. 



Periodical ^ s a wmter visitant to the British Isles, the Wigeon is 

 visitant. mo re numerously, and, I may add, more generally distribut- 



