CHILIAN WIDGEON 
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tember in the southern part of the Province of Buenos Aires, and they were found 
paired in the same months in western Patagonia (Peters, MS.). In the former region 
they seem to breed in November (A. H. Holland, 1892) but in the great breeding 
areas (central and southern Patagonia) the season is naturally somewhat later: late 
December and all through January (Scott and Sharpe, 1912). Mr. Peters took a nest 
and eight eggs in western Patagonia in November and does not think the species 
nests there as late as January. Young just hatched were seen in the Falklands on 
December 13 (Beck, MS.). 
According to Heinroth (1911) there is very little in the way of display, but ob- 
servers in the field have noticed certain social plays on the water and particularly 
antics in the air, which are undoubtedly nuptial flights. Crawshay (1907) who 
watched them in Tierra del Fuego, saysJ “They would hold a merry tourney on the 
water, chasing and ducking one another, gaggling excitedly, all joining in excited 
approbation or derision from time to time. One bird would then take wing, followed 
by all the others, for a turn in the air, and then they would career round in reckless 
dashing flight — wheeling, twisting, doubling, stooping and rising • — to return to 
the water with a sounding splash.” But this remarkable exhibition in the air was 
first and most picturesquely described by Hudson (1876; also P. L. Sclater and 
Hudson, 1889; Hudson, 1892): “A dozen or twenty birds rise up until they appear 
like small specks in the sky, and sometimes disappear from sight altogether; and at 
that great altitude they continue hovering in one spot, often for an hour or longer, 
alternately closing and separating; the fine bright, whistling notes and flourishes of 
the male curiously harmonizing with the grave measured notes of the female; and 
every time they close they slap each other on the wings so smartly that the sound 
can be distinctly heard, like applauding hand-clasps, even after the birds have 
ceased to be visible.” In western Patagonia four birds were observed performing 
this erratic nuptial flight on September 11 (Peters, MS.). The “slapping” sound, 
produced by a contact in the air, has been noticed in other species of ducks. 
Very little is known of the location of the nest, but Durnford (1878) and P. L. 
Sclater and Hudson (1889) say the birds nest among the reeds on extensive marshes 
and A. H. Holland (1892) goes so far as to say that the nest rests on the water and is 
supported by dead vegetation. If this situation is the normal one it is certainly un- 
like that of the other Widgeons, which are both apt to nest on high, dry ground. A 
nest found in western Patagonia was in a hummock on the marsh (Peters, MS.). 
The clutch seems to be rather small, varying from six to nine, the normal number 
being apparently eight. The eggs are pure white to cream color, sometimes rather 
whitish brown (P. L. Sclater and Hudson, 1889; E. W. Oates, 1902; Wells, E. 
Gibson, 1920). Mr. Peters tells me that the eggs are indistinguishable from those of 
the Brown Pintail, but the Widgeon has black nest-down while that of the Pintail is 
gray. In size they vary from 53.8-61.0 mm. by 39.9-42.0 mm., the average of 
