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nesting. Dr. Radde met with it throughout the country he explored, and breeding on the 

 Northern Angara; the first arrived at the Tarei-nor on the 9th April, and remained there until 

 the end of May. On the 2nd October he met with it on the Central Onon. Von Schrenck also 

 states that he found it common on the Amoor down to its mouth. Mr. Swinhoe states that it is 

 abundant in Southern China and on Formosa in the winter season ; and Messrs. Temminck and 

 Schlegel record it from Japan. 



In the Nearctic Region the European Wigeon is stated to occur not unfrequently on the 

 Atlantic coast of the United States, and is not rarely exposed for sale in the markets. It has 

 also been met with on the Prybilov Islands, off the west coast of North America ; for Dr. Elliott 

 Coues writes (Orn. Pryb. Isl.), "it is an interesting fact that the "Wigeon which visits the 

 Prybilov Islands is not Mareca americana, which would have been anticipated, but the true 

 M. penelope, as Mr. Elliot's specimens attest." 



The Wigeon is certainly less marine in its habits than most of the species which frequent 

 our coasts during winter; for, although it frequents the coast, yet it is generally met with only 

 in quiet bays and inlets, especially where the receding tide leaves large mud banks bare of water, 

 and where rivers or streams broaden before discharging their contents into the sea. It also 

 frequents freshwater lakes and streams, but chiefly during the night, and seldom remains there 

 any length of time. It has much affinity with the Teal in its choice of habitat ; and, like that 

 species, when, during the daytime, it wishes for quiet, it resorts to the muddy shores or flats 

 which are covered with low flags or rushes, or else places where the ground is overflowed and 

 somewhat covered by the water. On the wing the Wigeon is swift ; and when migrating they 

 fly sometimes at a considerable altitude and sometimes quite low, and frequently in large dense 

 flocks. They are, as a rule, shy birds ; and when in flocks they are very difficult of approach, 

 taking flight long before one can get within gunshot range. Its note is a peculiar whistling 

 sound, uttered both whilst the bird is on the wing and when sitting on the water, though more 

 frequently when flying ; and from this note its local name of Whistler, as well as its appellation 

 in French, German, &c, is derived. When a large flock passes at some distance the sound 

 produced by the whistling note from so many throats is not unpleasant ; but when the birds are 

 in tolerably close proximity, their call-note appears harsher and is by no means musical. It 

 feeds on aquatic insects and small crustaceans, worms and small fish-fry, but especially on 

 vegetable substances of various kinds, such as buds, tender roots and shoots, as well as the seeds 

 of various marsh- and water-plants, and also, though less frequently, on grain. When feeding it 

 never appears to dive, but stretches down with its neck without submerging the entire body ; 

 hence it frequents shallow places, and not deep waters. Mr. Robert Collett informs me that in 

 the stomach of a specimen killed at Christiania in September he found gravel and seeds of 

 Ranunculus flammula, and in the stomachs of several others killed in the autumn season he 

 found only vegetable substances. 



The eggs are deposited late in May or early in June, the locality selected for the purpose 

 of nidification being sometimes close to the water's edge, and at others at some distance from it ; 

 for Mr. Collett informs me that he found a nest on the fells, not far from the town of Lillehammer, 

 which was under a juniper bush at least 800 yards from the water. The nest is a mere depression 

 or hole scratched in the ground and well lined with down and a few feathers, intermixed with 



