ANATID^:— TIIK SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 143 



pinkish of the chest. No. G2,525, from St. Paul's Island, Alaska, 

 is most like the Alexandria specimen. 



A younjj: male (No. 57,119, Europe) has the brown of the 

 head, neck, sides, and flanks, almost chestnut; the wing as in 

 the adult, and the dorsal region mostly clothed with feathers 

 of the adult dress. 



According to Dr. Brewer {Water Birfls of North America^ Vol. 

 I., p. 519), "two instances are on record" of the occurrence of 

 the Wid^^eon in Illinois. Its habits are quite similar to those of 

 the Bald pate. 



Anas americana Gmel. 



BALDPATE. 



PopTilar synonyms. Amorican Widgeon; Green-hea(Jed Widgeon; Bald-head; Bald-face; 

 Bald-crown; White-belly; Poacher (Detroit, Mich.); Wheat Duck (Oregon). 



Anas americana Gmel. S. N. i,pt li, 1788, 526.— WiLS. Am. Orn. viii, 1814, 86, pi. 69. fig. 1.— 

 AUD. Orn. Biog. iv. 1838, 337, pL 315; Synop. 18.39, 279; B. Am. vi, 1843, 259, pi. 389.— A. 

 O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 137.— Eidgw. Man. N. Am. B. 1887. 96. 

 Mareca americana Stephens, Shaw's Gen. Zool. xii, pt. ii, 1824, 135.— Sw. & Rich. F. B.- A. 

 ii, 1831, 445.— Baikd, B. N. Am. 1858, 783; Cat. N. Am. B. l&^jg. No. 585.— CouEs,Key, 

 1872, 286; Check List, 1873, No. 493; 2d ed. 1882, No. 713; Birds N. W. 1874, 561.— Hensh. 

 Zool. Wheeler's Exp. 1875, 475.— Rldgw. Orn. 40th Par. 1877. C22; Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, 

 No. 607.— B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. i, 1884. 620. 



Mareca penelope, b., Blasius, B. Eur. 1862, 21. 



Hab. North America in general, north to Arctic Ocean, south, in winter, to Guatemala 

 and Cuba. Accidental in Europe. Breeds nearly throughout its range. 



Sp. Chab. Adult male in winter: Forehead and middle of crown (longltudinaUy) 

 white, generally immaculate; ground-color of head and neck white, sometimes more or less 

 soiled with grayish or brown, and thickly speckled with black; a broad space of metallic 

 blackish green on the nide of the occiput, running forward to the eye, and sometimes down 

 the nape, where the two spaces are confluent. Chest plain pinkish vinaceous; sides and 

 flanks the same, delicately waved with black; lower tail-coverts velvety black; rest of lower 

 parts pure white. Back and scapulars grayish white, more or less tinged with the color of 

 the sides, and similai-ly waved with black. Wing-coverts immaculate pure white, the an- 

 terior portion of the lesser-covert region ashy, and the last row tipped with velvety black; 

 speculum soft metallic green anteriorly, velvety black posteriorly; tertials velvety black, 

 gharply edged with white, the lower one with its lower edge entirely pure white; primaries 

 plain slate-grayish. Rump ashy, minutely waved on the edges of the feathers; upper tail- 

 coverts velvety black, the inner webs mostly grayish: tail hoary grayi.sh. Bill Ught grayi.'^h 

 blue, the end black; iris b own; legs and iCet Ught bluish. Length, about 20.00 inches; wing, 

 10.26-10.75; culmen, 1.30-1.50; tarsus, 1.45-1.65; middle toe, 1.65-1.85. Adult female: Above, 

 dusky grayish brown, with transverse, rather distant, bars of dull white or light ochraceous. 

 Wing-coverts dark dull ashy, broadly tipped and bordered with white ; speculum dull black. 

 Head and neck streaked with blackish upon a dull whitish ground, the former color pre- 

 vaihng on the nape and behind the eye. Chest pale grayish vinaceous, the feathers darker 

 beneath the surface; sides and flanks deeper vinaceous; lower tail-covorts transversely 

 Bpotted with brown; rest of lower parts pure white. Somewhat smaller than the male 

 ttength about 18.00 inches). Youn(j male: Similar to the adult female, but the colors more 

 pronounced and the pattern better deflned, especially on the vriag. Downy t/oung: Above, 



