WIDGEON 231 



Though they have their particular feeding-places, they, 

 like mallard, go away in hard weather, returning when the 

 frost has gone. They are, however, more restless than 

 mallard, and seem to require a greater variety of food, 

 to judge by the frequency with which they change their 

 feeding-grounds, though, when resting on the water, they 

 behave just like mallard. 



When wounded they make for the rond, just as do other 

 members of the family, and, like them, they are their own 

 surgeons, stripping the down from round their wounds, or 

 pulling out their wing-quills from around any wing wound. 



When the kingcups open and the spring is here, they often 

 repair, I am told, to the grass marshes, and eat grass just 

 like a goose, thus growing fat. Nor are they in any hurry 

 to leave us, for I have often known them stop till May ; and 

 old gunners tell me they have at times seen one, two, and 

 three about all summer-time. To my certain knowledge, a 

 widgeon was shot in this district as late as the latter end 

 of June. 



For the table I prefer a widgeon to a teal or mallard 

 unless it be a home-bred flapper stuffed with potato or celery, 

 roasted whilst fresh in a brisk oven, and served unspoiled by 

 sauces. Such a dish is only fit for hardy sportsmen, and 

 they are about the only people who get wild-fowl served in 

 this fashion. Your chef keeps wild-fowl too long, and then 

 ruins them with sauces. 



