542 



2 



of the head and neck rich rust-red ; the region round, and especially behind, the eye, the nape, and the 

 front of the throat, as well as the lower part of the neck marked with black with a slight greenish 

 gloss ; back and scapulars white, finely vermiculated with black, the sides of the fore part of the back 

 rusty red ; rump blackish grey, very indistinctly vermiculated with grey ; upper tail-coverts like the 

 back, but more finely vermiculated, primaries black with a greyish tinge ; short secondaries black, 

 richly glossed with green on the outer web, the elongated inner secondaries blackish grey on the inner 

 web and velvety black, margined with white on the outer web ; wing-coverts pure white, except those 

 on the edge of the wing, which are slaty grey ; upper breast of a peculiar deep pinky vinous tinge, rest 

 of the underparts pure white, except the under tail-coverts, which are rich velvety black ; tail dark grey, 

 the central feathers rather longer, and nearly black ; beak and legs ashy blue-grey, the former with a 

 black tip; iris brown. Total length about 20 inches, culmen 155, wing 102, tail 4 - 8, tarsus T55. 



Young Male nearly adult (Leadenhall Market, March). Differs from the bird above described in having the 

 back and rump as in the female, the wing-coverts ashy grey, the under tail-coverts dull black and white 

 intermixed, and the colours of the head and neck duller. 



Adult Female (Archangel, 24th June) . Head and neck greyish ochreous, striped with blackish ; upper 

 parts dull dark brown with dull dusty whitish edges to the feathers ; primaries dark brown, secondaries 

 dull black, slightly tipped with white; wing-coverts like the back, but the larger ones tipped with 

 white; rump-feathers and upper tail-coverts greyish brown, edged with dull white; tail dull greyish 

 brown; breast dull white, marked with dull reddish brown, rest of the underparts white; the under 

 tail-coverts marked with greyish brown. 



Male in late summer dress (Stockholm, October) . Head and neck as in the old female ; back, scapulars, 

 lesser wing-coverts, and rump dark ashy blackish grey ; the fore part of the back with indistinct whitish 

 vermiculations, the rest of the back and scapulars edged with fulvous ; wings as in winter dress ; but the 

 larger coverts are ashy blue-grey, not white, the median coverts being darker with rather lighter edges ; 

 tail as in the winter dress ; underparts white, the upper part of the breast and flanks rusty brown ; 

 under tail-coverts white with a greyish tinge, and having large blackish brown central blotches. 



Geneeallt distributed throughout Europe during the seasons of passage, breeding in the 

 northern districts, and wintering far south, the Wigeon occurs in Asia as far east as Japan, 

 and has been met with on the east coast of America, and on the Prybelov Islands, between 

 the west coast of North America and the continent of Asia. 



In Great Britain it is a common winter visitant in suitable localities throughout the United 

 Kingdom, and has been known to remain to breed in some portions of the country. I have 

 observed it in all parts of the south coast which I have at different times visited ; and, writing 

 from Somersetshire, Mr. Cecil Smith informs me that it is there " a common, and sometimes 

 very numerous, autumn and winter visitant, arriving in the autumn before the drake has lost its 

 summer dress and assumed the better-known winter plumage ; hence specimens are occasionally 

 obtained in most interesting stages of change between the two." On the east coast it is likewise 

 common ; and Mr. Stevenson writes to me as follows : — " I have reason to believe that a few 

 pairs remain to nest in Norfolk, from the frequent occurrence, during the last few years, of male 

 birds (being flushed with other fowl, Shovellers, Garganey, &c.) in June and July. The females 

 might pass unnoticed on the wing, or be close sitting at the time. I know of no instance of the 



