GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 377 



fornia. It passes through Central Europe on migration, and 

 winters on the coasts of Holland, Belgium, France, and Spain, 

 and throughout the basins of the Mediterranean, Black, and 

 Caspian Seas, ranging as far south as Abyssinia in the east 

 and Madeira in the west of the African Continent. The Asiatic 

 birds pass through Turkestan and Mongolia on migration, and 

 winter in India, Burma, Borneo, China, and Japan. 



Allied Forms. — Anas amerkana, the New World representa- 

 tive of the Wigeon, a " British " species, and dealt with fully in the 

 following chapter. 



Time during which the Wigeon may be taken. — August 



ist to March ist (to March 15th in Essex). 



Habits. — The autumn migration of the Wigeon commences 

 in the British Islands towards the end of September, and birds 

 continue to arrive upon our coasts through October and the first 

 half of November. The return migration begins in March, and 

 lasts until the end of April. The Wigeon arrives at its Arctic 

 haunts just as the ice is breaking up and winter is making way for 

 summer. In the valley of the Petchora this Duck arrived simul- 

 taneously with the break-up of the ice, on the nineteenth of May, 

 but further east in the valley of the Yenesay it was much later, not 

 appearing until the 6th of June, at which date the general summer 

 thaw had commenced. Hume states that the Wigeon seldom 

 arrives in India before the end of October, and leaves again in 

 March and April. Whilst on migration, and in its winter quarters, 

 the Wigeon is a very gregarious bird, and even in the breeding 

 season is remarkably social, and conoorts with various other Ducks 

 that frequent the same districts for nesting purposes. Whilst in the 

 British Islands the Wigeon is principally a coast bird, frequenting 

 bays, lochs, and estuaries, and occasionally visiting large sheets of 

 fresh water in the vicinity of the sea. In India, however, this 

 Duck is found on inland waters, but even here is most abundant 

 on the coast, choosing by preference estuaries and creeks where 

 the water is brackish. It is also very erratic in its choice of a 

 haunt, being absent from some districts and present in others during 

 different years. The flight of the Wigeon is swift and powerful, 

 but not very loud, and often the bird will glide down from a con- 

 siderable height to the water on arched and motionless wings. 



