(309 ) 



New York, Dec. 3, lata. 

 i: I tills morning obtained a Widgeon in Fulton Market, shot on 

 Long Island, which I recognised as belonging to the European spe- 

 cies. It was, unfortunately, picked, excepting the head and upper 

 part of the neck and wings. On comparison with an authenticated 

 specimen of the European species, (Anas Penelope) I feel confirm- 

 ed in my opinion, and it is, I believe, the first instance of its oc- 

 curring with us. It differs from A. Americana in the coloring of 

 the head and neck, and much also in the shape of the bill, which 

 is much higher at the base, and without the black line where it 

 joins the head — the nail black, with minute punctures. The head 

 rises gradually from the bill — not so abruptly as in A. Americana. 

 The frontal feathers extend on the bill a quarter of an inch, form- 

 ing an acute angle, which is not the case in ours. Crown reddish- 

 cream color; other parts of lhe head and the neck bright rufous, 

 plainly sprinkled with small black spots, more numerous adjoin- 

 ing the bill ; ihroat of a dark, rich, vinous color, almost black; 

 crest small, and the green color on the sides of the head confined 

 to the immediate vicinity of the eye; under wing-coverts ash-gray, 

 those of ours being white. 



" Geo. N. Lawrence. 

 "J. P. Giratd, Jr." 



This being the first instance of A. Penelope's occurring, at least 

 within the bounds ol the United States, (and I am not aware that it 

 lias ever before been observed in North America) no doubt some 

 will be unwilling to give it a place in our Fauna. But if we re- 

 fuse to admit it on account of its extreme rarity, we shall be oblig- 

 ed to erase others from our list of North American birds. We do 

 not mean to say that every bird seen at large should be considered 

 indigenous to our country, as we frequently find species that we 

 know are peculiar to Europe, as for instance the Ruff*, Wheat-ear, 

 Sky Lark, and other foreign species, have been found on Long 

 Island — these we know must have been brought over as a matter 

 of speculation, presents to friends residing here, or favorite pets of 

 persons emigrating to this country, which have escaped from their 

 cages. But we cannot conceive what inducement could offer to 



