298 FEATHERED GAME 



the lonesome and talkative decoy duck anchored 

 in an attractive ''pondhole." It is not the 

 readiest of the ducks to decoy, however. 



The Widgeon is a beautiful and graceful duck, 

 and by his peculiar markings will command the 

 admiring attention of any gunner who may cap- 

 ture him. In his full plumage the male bird 

 is marked on the top of his head with a large 

 area of snowy white; on the sides of the head 

 and neck a yellowish white, spotted and 

 streaked with dusky; a black patch, — in some 

 lights metallic green, — runs from the eye back 

 to the nape; the lower neck and upper breast 

 are light reddish brown with a purplish gloss 

 and sheen to the feathers, their edges a trifle 

 lighter than the centers ; on the sides and flanks 

 the same shade finely waved with indistinct 

 dusky crossbars. 



The lower breast and under parts are pure 

 white; the crissum jet black against this color. 

 The purplish brown of the lower neck and 

 breast spreads over the hind neck and down the 

 back, waved with fine dusky lines set closely 

 together. The lesser wing coverts are gray, 

 growing lighter toward the middle and greater 



