326 NATATORES. MARECA. WIGEON. 



ed, when passing, by their peculiar whistling call-note, and 

 from the sound of which has arisen their trivial name of 

 IVhew-Duck. They are easily domesticated, and thrive well 

 when supplied with plenty of water ; but do not breed in 

 confinement, at least the female, though she may occasion- 

 ally lay eggs, will not provide a nest, or go through the pro- 

 cess of incubation. It is, however, a singular fact, that a 

 hybrid progeny has been produced between the male Wigeon 

 and the female Pintail, although females of his own species 

 were kept on the same piece of water. The mules from this 

 cross, as might be expected, were barren *. It has also been 

 known to pair with the Common Duck, in which case the 

 eggs were also prolific. The form of the tracheal labyrinth 

 of the Wigeon comes nearer to that of the Pintail than any 

 other, being nearly globular; its attachment, however, to 

 the bony arch of the larynx is different, the bottom of that 

 capsule being nearly on the same line with the arch, whereas 

 in the Pintail it extends considerably below it. It is also 

 Eggs, of smaller size. The eggs of the Wigeon are stated to be 

 eight or ten in number, and their colour a pale greenish- 

 white. 



PLATE 52. Represents the male and female of the natural 



size. 



General Fig. 1. the Male. Bill bluish-grey, with the tip and nail 



tion. black. Forehead and crown pale buff-orange. The 



Male. rest of the head, and the upper part of the neck, 



orange-brown, with small specks upon the cheeks. Chin 



and throat black. Lower part of the neck and breast 



pale brownish-purple red, tinged with ash-grey. Lower 



part of the back of neck beautifully barred with black 



and pale reddish-white. Back, scapulars, sides, and 



flanks finely rayed with zigzag lines of black and white. 



* See MONTAGU'S Supplement to his Ornithological Dictionary, where 

 this and other curious facts respecting the Wigeon are narrated at consi- 

 derable length. 



