WIGEON 115 



Geographical distribution. Abroad, the Wigeon breeds 

 abundantly in Northern Europe, and in small numbers in 

 Holland, Denmark, and North Germany. Eastward it nests 

 in Central and North Asia, and on the North American 

 Continent may be traced round to Alaska. On migration it 

 is found over Central and Southern Europe, North Africa, 

 Tropical Asia, occurring also along the North American 

 sea- board. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Top of head, rich 

 chrome-buff ; rest of head and upper neck, warm chestnut, 

 the hind part of the latter finely spotted with light green ; 

 chin, black ; lower neck and upper breast, pale pinkish-grey ; 

 lower breast and abdomen, white ; back and flanks, finely 

 pencilled or vermiculated with grey ; wing-coverts, white ; 

 speculum, green, edged above and below with black; 

 narrow pointed secondaries, chiefly black, edged with white ; 

 primaries, brown ; tail, brown ; under tail-coverts, black. 



Adult male, post-nuptial or eclipse. This plumage is 

 assumed about the middle of June. It somewhat resembles 

 the female plumage, but is of a much more ruddy hue. 



Adult female nuptial. Back and wings, mottled greyish- 

 brown ; breast and abdomen, greyish- white. 



Adult winter, male and female. Similar to the respective 

 nuptial plumages. 



Immature, male and female. Resembles the female in 

 plumage. 



BEAK. Bright lead-blue, tipped with black. 



FEET. Dark greyish-brown. 



IRIDES. Dark brown. 



AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH 18' 5 in. 



WING 10-5 



BEAK 1-5 



TARSO-METATAESUS T5 ,, 



EGG ... 2'3 x 1-5 in. 



