AMERICAN WIDGEON. 199 



of Hudson's Bay in May, as soon as the thaws come on, 

 chiefly in pairs ; lay there only from six to eight eggs ; 

 and feed on flies and worms in the swamps ; depart in 

 flocks in autumn.* 



These birds are frequently brought to the market 

 of Baltimore, and generally bring a good price, their 

 flesh being excellent. They are of a lively frolicsome 

 disposition, and, with proper attention, might easily 

 be domesticated. 



The widgeon, or bald pate, measures twenty-two 

 inches in length, and thirty inches in extent ; the bill, 

 is of a slate colour, the nail, black ; the front and crown, 

 cream coloured, sometimes nearly white, the feathers, 

 inflated ; from the eye backwards to the middle of the 

 neck behind, extends a band of deep glossy green, gold, 

 and purple ; throat, chin, and sides of the neck before, 

 as far as the green extends, dull yellowish white, thickly 

 speckled with black ; breast and hiud part of the neck, 

 hoary bay, running in under the wings, where it is 

 crossed with fine waving lines of black, whole belly, 

 white ; vent, black ; back and scapulars, black, thickly 

 and beautifully crossed with undulating lines of vinous 

 bay ; lower part of the back, more dusky ; tail-coverts, 

 long, pointed, whitish, crossed as the back ; tail, pointed, 

 brownish ash ; the two middle feathers an inch longer 

 than the rest, and tapering ; shoulder of the wing, 

 brownish ash ; wing-coverts, immediately below, white, 

 forming a large spot ; primaries, brownish ash, middle 

 secondaries black, glossed with green, forming the spe- 

 culum ; tertials, black, edged with white, between which 

 and the beauty spot several of the secondaries are white. 



The female has the whole head and neck yellowish 

 white, thickly speckled with black, very little rufous on 

 the breast ; the back is dark brown. The young males, 

 as usual, very much like the females during the first 

 season, and do not receive their full plumage until the 

 second year. They are also subject to a regular change 

 every spring and autumn. 



* HUTCHINS. 



