WIOEON 31 



and leaves in the construction of the nest, the lining being 

 supplied with down from the bird's own body. The situation 

 chosen is the neighbourhood of some lake or river, and the 

 nest itself is cleverly concealed. 



The eggs are from five to eight, or, Meyer say's, ten or 

 twelve in number. They are of a fine cream-white colour. 



When the hen bird begins to sit, the male retires into 

 seclusion. The incubation of the eggs continues for twenty- 

 four or twenty-five days. The young, as soon almost as 

 hatched, betake themselves to the water. 



Both the male and female "VVigeon have been known to 

 pair with the Pintail, and with the Common Duck. 



Male: weight, about twenty-three or twenty -four ounces; 

 length, nearly one foot eight inches. The bill is narrow, and 

 of a bluish lead-colour, the tip and the tooth black; iris, dark 

 dusky brown from it a green streak passes backwards. The 

 head is high, and narrow in shape. From the forehead extends 

 over the crown a band of fine yellowish orange cream-colour, 

 forming a sort of crest; the remainder of the head and neck 

 rich chesnut, speckled with black it is divided from the breast 

 by a band or collar of beautiful narrow waved lines of brown 

 and white; nape, beautifully barred with black and pale reddish 

 white; chin and throat, almost black. The breast, on the upper 

 part and sides, is pale vinous red, lightest in front, and darkest 

 on the sides; below, the breast is white, and rayed with grey 

 on the sides, paler lower down. Back, variegated with greyish 

 white and black in fine irregular undulating lines. 



The wings have the first and second quill feathers of nearly 

 equal length. They expand to the width of two feet three 

 or four inches. The ridge of the wing is dusky grey brown; 

 greater wing coverts, white, tipped with black, forming an 

 upper border to the beauty spot; of the lesser wing coverts 

 the upper ones are grey, finely powdered with white; the others 

 white. Primaries, dusky brown; of the secondaries those next 

 the body have the margin of the outer webs more or less white. 

 The speculum is glossy green, with a broad edge of black 

 above and below. Tertiaries, velvet black on the outer webs, 

 with white edges, the inner ones deep greyish brown: they 

 are very long. The tail is wedge-shaped, the two middle 

 fpRthers being pointed, and considerably longer than the others; 

 lhe<e are dusky black, with a tinge of hoary grey; the others, 

 \viiich are also pointed, grey edged with rufous brown. There 

 are fourteen feathers in all. Upper tail coverts, black, edged 



