MARECA 615 



Canard siffleur, French ; Asscibiadeira, Portflg. ; Pato- 

 florcntino, Span. ; Fischione, Ital. ; Pfeifente, Blassente, German ; 

 Smient, Dutch ; Pibeand, Blisand, Dan. ; Brunnaltke, Norweg. ; 

 Blasand, Swed. ; Snartal, Lapp. ; Haapana, Finn. ; Sivijas, 

 Swestun, Russ. ; Peasan, Patari, Hindu. ; Hidori, Jap. 



< ad. (England). Forehead and fore-crown warm oclireous ; rest of 

 head and neck rich rusty red ; region round and behind the eye, front of 

 throat, lower neck, and nape marked with green ; upper parts and flanks 

 white verraiculated with black ; wing-coverts greyish brown and white ; 

 speculum green ; elongated alar feathers blackish grey on the inner and 

 black margined with white on the outer web ; upper breast pinky vinous ; 

 under parts white ; under tail-coverts black ; beak blue-grey, the tip black ; 

 legs plumbeous ; iris reddish brown. Culmen T55, wing 10'2, tail 4'8, 

 tarsus T55 inch. The female has the head and neck greyish ochreous 

 striped with black ; upper parts dull brown with whitish margins ; 

 speculum absent ; under parts white, the breast marked with reddish 

 brown, the under tail-coverts with greyish brown. In the late summer 

 the male resembles the female but the head and neck are dull chestnut 

 spotted with black ; no buff patch ; wings as above but the wings-coverts 

 are ashy grey ; upper breast and flanks rusty brown. 



Hab. Europe generally, breeding in the high north, migrating 

 in winter to Africa, as far south as Abyssinia, and Madeira ; 

 Asia north to Kamchatka, east to Japan, and south in winter to 

 China, India, and Borneo ; of occasional occurrence in Eastern 

 North America and more frequent in Alaska. 



Resembles the Teal in its choice of habitat, and though also 

 found on the sea-coast usually frequents quiet bays, inlets, and 

 mud-banks. It feeds on vegetable substances, aquatic insects, 

 crustaceans, &c. and does not dive in search of food. Its 

 whistling note is very frequently to be heard, especially at 

 night. It breeds both near water and at some distance from it, 

 its nest being a depression in the ground lined with down and 

 a few grass-bents and moss. The eggs which are deposited in 

 May or early in June are creamy white and measure about 2*27 

 by 1-55. 



855. AMERICAN WIGEON. 

 MARECA AMERICANA. 



Mareca aitiericana (Gmel.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 526 (1788) ; (Audub.), B. 

 Am. vi. p. 259, pi. 389 ; Dresser, ix. p. 289, pi. 707 ; Salvador!, 

 Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxvii. p. 233; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 1160; 

 Ridgway, p. 96 ; Saunders, p. 439 ; LilforJ, vii. p. 104, pi. 42. 



$ ad. (N. America). Differs from M. penelope in having the crown and 

 forehead white, unspotted, the head and neck dull white finely speckled 



