AMERICAN WIGEON. 



Anas Americana, WiLSON. AuDUBO 



Mareca Americana, STEPHENS. 



Anas A Duck. Americanus American 



THIS Duck is abundant in various parts of North America, 

 from the River Saskatchewan and the Columbia, and the shores 

 of Hudson's Bay, through the United States to Florida, 

 Carolina, Mexico, Cuba, Martinique, and St. Domingo. 



A pair of these birds were on sale in the London market 

 in the winter of 1837-8, as recorded in the 'Naturalist' 

 magazine, volume iii, page 417. 



In the autumn they depart in flocks from their summer 

 quarters. 



They are described as being of a lively and frolicsome 

 disposition, and are considered excellent eating. 



They are said sometimes to perch on trees. 



Their food is composed of flies, worms, leeches, small fry, 

 beech-nuts, and grain of various kinds; and they do much 

 damage in the rice plantations. They come out to feed in 

 the evenings. 



The note is a soft whistle, enunciated by the sound 'whew,' 

 and it is frequently imitated successfully to their destruction. 



The eggs are from six to eight in number. 



Male; length, one foot eleven inches; bill, bluish grey, bordered 

 and tipped with black; iris, hand behind the eye a broad dark 

 green streak passes backwards. Forehead and crown, dull 

 white, on the sides and back pale brownish white, freckled with 

 black; the feathers at the back of the head a little elongated: 

 a white band runs from the forehead to the nape. Neck in 

 front, reddish brown. Breast above, white, on the sides 

 brownish red, glossed with grey; on the sides it is barred with 

 dark lines, below white. Back on the upper part, reddish 



VOL. VII. D 



