WIGEON. 167 
WIGEON. 
MaRECA PENELOPE, Linn. 
Pl. XXV., fig. 3. 
Geogr. distr.—Throughout Europe, breeding in the northern dis- 
tricts and wintering in the southern; Asia as far eastward as Japan; 
has been found on the eastern coast of America: a common winter 
visitant in Great Britain, but rarely breeds with us, so far as is known; 
it however probably breeds in the Outer Hebrides, &c., and in Norfolk. 
Food.—Seeds, grass, water-plants, and Mollusca. 
Nest.—A mere depression or hole scratched in the ground, lined 
with down, a few feathers, decayed reeds or moss, and grass-bents 
matted together. 
Position of nest.—Sometimes close to water, but by no means 
yerablys placed amongst rank herbage, and low bushes or long 
rushes. 
Number of eggs.—5-12; usually 5-8. 
Time of nidification.—V-VI. 
Usually breeds at the end of May or the beginning of 
June. Mr. Cecil Smith says that “the nest of a Wigeon 
which was found by Mr. Selby, on one of the islands in 
a lake in Scotland, was placed in the heart of a large 
rose-bush, and was made of decayed rushes and reeds, 
with a lining of warm down from the bird’s body. 
“The food of the present species consists almost entirely 
of grass, which, to judge by tame ones, it eats most 
greedily, as these spend nearly the whole of the day in 
cropping the short grass on the lawn. Meyer adds— 
‘aquatic insects and larve, worms and small Mollusca, 
rarely the small fry of fish and frogs: he also says— 
‘it occasionally eats grain, but that it is no favourite 
food of the Wigeons,’ which seems certainly to be the case. 
I have known my tame ones reduced to eat grain with 
the other wild fowl during deep snow, when they could 
get no grass, but at other times they do not appear to care 
at all about it.”—(‘ Birds of Somersetshire,’ p. 498.) 
Although it is probable that this species has bred in 
Norfolk, there is at present no proof of its having done so 
either in that or any other county of England or Wales ; 
but in Ireland, Scotland, and the Scotch islands itis known 
to breed. 
