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middle of September, after which it increases in number until the waters freeze, when the 

 majority migrate further south, to repass again in March on their way northwards. In Italy it 

 is a common winter visitant, and literally swarms in Sicily during the cold season. Mr. A. B. 

 Brooke says (Ibis, 1873, p. 343), in Sardinia it is " extremely common in winter ; but the 

 greater number left long before any of the other Anatidse. Several times during the first week 

 in March, when camped out on the top of the mountains, on fine clear nights I heard the wild 

 whistle of several flocks of Wigeon as they flew over me very high in a northerly direction." 

 Lord Lilford met with it in the Ionian Islands, and says that it was abundant in winter, par- 

 ticularly at Livitazza, and it is a common winter visitant to Greece, being met with also at that 

 season in the Cyclades. In Southern Germany it is common during passage in the spring and 

 autumn ; and Dr. Anton Fritsch even states that it breeds sparingly in Bohemia, which appears 

 to be a locality very far south if such should prove to be really the case. Messrs. Danford and 

 Harvie-Brown speak of it (Ibis, 1875, p. 427) as being not uncommon in Transylvania in winter 

 and during passage. They saw it at Zah. In Turkey it is extremely common during winter, 

 and equally so on the Russian coasts of the Black Sea ; but Mr. Goebel states that it is rare in 

 the Uman district, occurring only during passage. Captain Sperling observed it near Smyrna ; and 

 Canon Tristram writes (Ibis, 1868, p. 328) that he found it common everywhere in Palestine. 



In North-east Africa it is, according to Captain Shelley (B. of Egypt, p. 288), plentiful in 

 Lower Egypt in the winter, where " I have shot it twice and frequently seen it ; and it is generally 

 to be found in the market at Alexandria. Up the Nile it appears to be of rare occurrence ; for 

 I have not observed it above Cairo, nor in the Fayoom." Von Heuglin says that it appears in 

 small flocks in Egypt in the autumn, and considerable numbers remain over the winter. In the 

 middle of October and in November he obtained specimens in Nubia, and at the same season of 

 the year on the coasts of the Red Sea down to Sauakin. In April 1857 he observed large flocks 

 between Djizeh and Dachschur. Ruppell states that it occurs in winter in Abyssinia. On the 

 north-west side of the continent it is also a common winter visitant ; and Loche states that it 

 breeds in Algeria, which statement appears somewhat doubtful. According to Colonel Irby (I. c), 

 Favier states that it is " the most abundant of all the Ducks near Tangier, being found in large 

 flocks throughout the winter months. They commence to arrive in August and September, and 

 leave during March and April." According to Vernon Harcourt it has also occurred in Madeira. 



To the eastward it is found right across the continent of Asia. Mr. Blanford did not meet 

 with it in Persia, and says that it has only been noticed by Eichwald and by Major St. John on 

 the saltwater creeks about Bushire. Mr. A. O. Hume met with it in Sindh, and writes (Stray 

 Feathers, i. p. 261) as follows : — " I saw very few of the Wigeon in Sindh as a whole, and none 

 on the rivers ; but on the Muncher lake they were in hundreds, and during the few days we were 

 there very considerable numbers were killed." In India, Dr. Jerdon writes (B. of India, ii. p. 805), 

 it cannot be said to be either common or abundant, although it is met with occasionally in every 

 part of the country in small or moderate flocks. Colonel Irby also states that he met with it in 

 small numbers towards the end of the cold season in Oudh and Kumaon. Dr. Severtzoff records 

 it from Turkestan, where, he says, it occurs during passage ; and it is met with throughout Siberia 

 to Kamtschatka. Von Middendorff says that it arrived in the vicinity of Amginsk on the 23rd of 

 April, and he did not observe it east of the Stanowoi Mountains. On the Boganida he found it 



