Eggs. 
General 
descrip- 
tion. 
Male. 
326 NATATORES. MARECA. WIGEON. 
ed, when passing, by their peculiar whistling call-note, and 
from the sound of which has arisen their trivial name of 
Whew-Duck. They are easily domesticated, and thrive well 
when supplied with plenty of water; but do not breed in 
confinement, at least the female, though she may occasion- 
ally lay eggs, will not provide a nest, or go through the pro- 
cess of incubation. It is, however, a singular fact, that a 
hybrid progeny has been produced between the male Wigeon 
and the female Pintail, although females of his own species 
were kept on the same piece of water. The mules from this 
cross, as might be expected, were barren*. It has also been 
known to pair with the Common Duck, in which case the 
eggs were also prolific. The form of the tracheal labyrinth 
of the Wigeon comes nearer to that of the Pintail than any 
other, being nearly globular; its attachment, however, to 
the bony arch of the larynx is different, the bottom of that 
capsule being nearly on the same line with the arch, whereas 
in the Pintail it extends considerably below it. It is also 
of smaller size.—The eggs of the Wigeon are stated to be 
eight or ten in number, and their colour a pale greenish- 
white. 
PiaTE 52. Represents the male and female of the natural 
size. 
Fig. 1. the Male.—Bill bluish-grey, with the tip and nail 
black. Forehead and crown pale buff-orange. The 
rest of the head, and the upper part of the neck, 
orange-brown, with small specks upon the cheeks. Chin 
and throat black. Lower part of the neck and breast 
pale brownish-purple red, tinged with ash-grey. Lower 
part of the back of neck beautifully barred with black 
and pale reddish-white. Back, scapulars, sides, and 
flanks finely rayed with zigzag lines of black and white. 
* See Monracu’s Supplement to his Ornithological Dictionary, where 
this and other curious facts respecting the Wigeon are narrated at consi- 
derable length. 
