AMERICAN WIDGEON. 309 



full plumage until the second year. They are also subject to a 

 regular change every spring and autumn. 



Note. A few of these birds breed annually in the marshes 

 in the neighbourhood of Duck creek, in the state of Delaware. 

 An acquaintance, brought me thence, in the month of June, an 

 egg, which had been taken from a nest situated in a cluster of 

 alders; it was very much of the shape of the common Duck's 

 egg; the colour a dirty white; length two inches and a quarter, 

 breadth one inch and five-eights. The nest contained eleven eggs. 



This species is seen on the Delaware as late as the first week 

 of May. On the thirtieth of April last, I observed a large flock 

 of them, accompanied by a few Mallards and Pintails, feeding 

 upon the mud-flats, at the lower end of League Island, below 

 Philadelphia. In the fresh water ponds, situated in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the river St. John, in East Florida, they find an 

 abundance of food during the winter; and they become excess- 

 ively fat It is needless to add that they are excellent eating. 



G. Ord. 



