MAilECA PENELOrE. 155 



Genus MAEECA. 



The genn>; Mareca differs principally from JS'ettion in luiving a smaller 

 hill, Avhicli is distinctly narrower and rather tapering towards the tip ; 

 from Chaidelasmus it differs in not having the lamella? of the upper mandi))le 

 so prominent, and the tail-feathers are more pointed, the central rectrices 

 extending beyond the others. 



There are only three species in the genus, of which but one, M. penelojie, 

 reaches our limits : of the other two, one, M. aynericana, is a North- 

 American form, whilst the other, J7. s'lhilatrix, is a South-American Inrd. 

 jAll three are much the same size. 



(27) MARECA PENELOPE. 

 THE WIGEOX. 



Mareca penelope, Jerdon, B. I. iii, p. i504; Hume, Str. Feaih. i, p. 271; 

 Butler, ibid, w, p. 30 ; Hume, ibid, vii, p. 491 ; Davis. <^- Wendon, ibid. 

 vii, p. 93 ; Scully, ibid, yiii, p. 63 ; Hume, Cut. no. 963 ; Hume 4' -!/«»'• 

 Game-B. iii, p. 197 ; Vidcd, Sir. FeatJi. ix, p. 92: Butler, ibid. p. 438 ; 

 Reid, ibid, s, p. 82 ; Hume, ibid. p. 245 : Davidson, ibid. p. 326 ; Oates, 

 B. of Brit. Burm. ii, p. 278 ; Barnes, B. of Bom. p. 408 ; Hume, >Str. 

 Feath. xi, p. 345 ; Salvadori, Cat. B. 31. xxvii. p. 227 ; Blanford, Fauna 

 B. I. iv, p. 445 ; Oatcs, Game-B. ii, p. 210. 



Descrijition. Adult male. — rorehead, crown, and anterior nape pale buff, 

 sometimes with a few black dots ou the nape, remainder of liead and neck dull 

 chestnut, much speckled auteriorly with black, and the chiu and throat more or 

 less black also ; back, sides of neck and upper breast, tiauks, scapulars, rump, 

 and shorter upper tail-coverts Aeriiiiculated blackish-browu and white, the rump 

 and upper tail-coverts with the whire predominating, longer upper tail-coverts 

 black ; central rectrices brownish-black, getting paler ou each succeeding pair, 

 the outer pairs being also tipped white; upper breast and lower neck and sides 

 of lower breast vinous-red ; under tail-covei"ts black, rest ot" plumage white ; 

 smallest wing-coverts greyish-brown, more or less vermiculated white; primary- 

 coverts vinous-grey, remaining coverts white ; the greater secondary-coverts 

 tipped black; primaries brown, pale-shafted except at the tips; outermost 

 secondaries brilliant metallic green, broadly edged and ripped black ; oiiter web 

 of ne.xt secondary pure white, edged black ; inner secondaries black, edged white 

 and grevish on the inner webs. 



