NATATORES — ANATID^E-ANAS. 
345 
THE AMERICAN WIDGEON, OR BALD-PATE. 
Anas americana. 
PLATE CXII. FIG. 248. 
(STATE COLLECTION.) 
Anns americana, Gmelin. American Widgeon, Pennant, A ret. Zoology, Vol. 2, p.567. 
A. id, Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 8, p. 8G, pi. 69, fig. 4. Bonaparte, Ann. Lyc.. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 384. 
Mareca id. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 445. Audubon, B. of Am. Vol. 6, p. 259, pi. 389 (male and female). 
A. id. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 339, fig. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 306. 
Characteristics. Mirror green, surrounded by black : wing-coverts white. Tail wedge- 
shaped. Male, black waved with reddish; head and neck yellowish 
white; crown white or yellowish white; a green band on each side of 
the neck; breast light chesnut; throat whitish. Female, whole head 
and neck yellowish while sprinkled with black. Length, 19'5. 
Description. Bill shorter than the head, and abruptly curved at the tip : nostrils oblong. 
6ub-basal, pervious. Tibia bare for a short distance beneath. Tarsus 1'5 long, compressed. 
Feathers of the crown and occiput slightly elongated. Tail short, pointed, of sixteen feathers ; 
the central pair acute. 
Color. Male: Bill and feet greyish blue ; the former black at the tip. Crown white or 
light cream, spotted with dusky on the sides : a broad green band extends from the eyes 
behind to the nape. Breast brownish red, glossed with grey, and varying to light chesnut 
or vinaceous. Back minutely waved with brownish red and black. Lesser wing-coverts, 
quills and tail brown or brownish grey: greater coverts, sides of the rump, breast and belly 
pure white ; sides of the body barred or minutely waved with white and brownish. Female, 
smaller; above dark brown, edged with pale brown and white. Head and neck whitish; 
the former barred, and the latter streaked with dusky. No green stripe on the head. Breast 
blackish, barred with brownish red. Beneath white: under tail-coverts dusky barred with 
reddish brown. 
Length, lS’5-20’5. 
The American Widgeon, or Bald-pate, appears in this State in the spring, and late in the 
autumn. It is distributed very generally throughout the Republic, and was observed by Mr. 
Townsend on the shores of the Pacific. It breeds in Mexico, probably in this and the 
adjoining States, and certainly in high northern latitudes. It is not a common species in this 
State, but is more abundant at the South and West in winter. Its food consists chiefly of 
aquatic vegetables, and is valued for its delicate flavor. It ranges from 68° north to the 
equator. 
[Fauna — Part 2.] 
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