NATATORES — ANATID^E ANAS. 345 



THE AMERICAN WIDGEON, OR BALD-PATE. 



Anas americana. 



plate cxii. fig. 248. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Alias anurkarutf Gmelin. American Widgeon, Pennant, Arct. Zoology, Vol. 2, p. 567. 



A id. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 8, p. 86, pi. 69, fig. 4. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 384. 



Mareca id. Richardson, F. B..A. Vol. 8, p. 445. Audubon, B. of Am. Vol.-6, p. 259, pi. 389 (male and female). 



A. id. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 389, fig. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 306i 



Characteristics. Mirror green, surrounded by black : wing-coverts white. Tail wedge- 

 shaped. Male, black waved with reddish ; head and neck yellowish 

 white ; crown white or yellowish white ; a green band on each side of 

 the neck ; breast light ehesnut ;. throat whitish. Female, whole head 

 and neck yellowish white sprinkled with black. Length, 195. 



Description. Bill shorter than the head, and abruptly curved at the tip : nostrils oblong,, 

 sub-basal, pervious. Tibia bare for a short distance beneath. Tarsus 1 ' 5 long, compressed. 

 Feathers of the crown and occiput slightly elongated. Tail short, pointed, of sixteen feathers - r 

 the central pair acute. 



Color. Male :. Bill and feet greyish blue ;. the former black at the tip. Crown white or 

 light cream, spotted with dusky on the sides : a broad green band extends from the eyes 

 behind to the nape. Breast brownish red, glossed with grey, and varying to light ehesnut 

 or vinaceous. Back minutely waved with brownish red and black. Lesser wing-coverts, 

 quills and tail brown or brownish grey : greater coverts, sides of the rump, breast and belly 

 pure while ;. sides of the body barred or minutely waved with white and brownish. Female, 

 smaller ; above dark brown, edged with pale brown and white. Head and neck whitish ; 

 the former barred, and the latter streaked with dusky. No green stripe on the head. Breast 

 blackish, barred with brownish red. Beneath white : under tail-coverts dusky barred with 

 reddish brown. 



Length, 18' 5 -20" 5. 



The American Widgeon, or Bald-pate, appears in this State in the spring, and late in the 

 autumn. It is distributed very generally throughout the Republic, and was observed by Mr. 

 Townsend on the shores of the Pacific. It breeds in Mexico, probably in this and the 

 adjoining States, and certainly in high northern latitudes. It is not a common species in this 

 State, but is more abundant at the South and West in winter. Its food consists chiefly of 

 aquatic vegetables, and is valued for its delicate flavor. It ranges from 68° north to the 

 equator. 



[Fauna — Part %.\ 44 



