116 ANATID^E 



AMERICAN WIGEON. Mareca americana (J. F. Gmelin). 



Coloured Figures. Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol. ix, pi. 707 ; 

 Lilford, Coloured Figures,' vol. vii, pi. 42. 



I know of only two well authenticated instances of this 

 very rare visitor. A specimen was obtained by Mr. Bartlett 

 in a London market in the winter of 1837-38. In February 

 of 1895, after a lapse of fifty-seven years, Sir Ralph Payne- 

 Gallwey secured, through Mr. K. Lee, of Thirsk, a young 

 male from a game-dealer in Leeds. 



The few Scotch and Irish occurrences are so unsub- 

 stantiated that the American Wigeon may be excluded 

 from the avifauna of these countries. 



In the 'Zoologist' for 1901, p. 411, Mr. F. Coburn 

 gives an interesting account of an expedition to the north 

 of Iceland, where he discovered the American Wigeon 

 breeding. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Crown of head, dull 

 white; on each side of the head, a broad streak of green 

 extends from the eye to the hind-neck; cheeks, chin, throat, 

 neck, whitish, speckled with black ; back, brownish, vermi- 

 culated with black; wing-coverts, light brown shading to 

 white ; speculum, metallic-green edged above with black ; 

 primaries, brown ; inner secondaries elongated, black with 

 white edges ; breast and sides, reddish-brown ; abdomen, 

 white ; tail, brown. 



Adult male, post-nuptial or eclipse. Somewhat re- 

 sembles the female plumage. 



Adult female nuptial. Head and neck, yellowish-white 

 speckled with black ; breast duller than that of the male ; 

 back, dark brown. 



Adult winter, male and female. Similar to the respective 

 nuptial plumages. 



Immature, male and female. Resembles the female, but 

 the young male has a more defined wing-pattern. 



BEAK. Greyish-blue with a black tip. 



FEET. Bluish. 



IRIDES. Brown. 



EGGS. Pure white : clutch, seven to ten. 



