362 THE GAME BIEDS AND WILD FOWL 



probably as far south as Winnipeg. It has also been recorded by Dr. Stejneger 

 from Bering Island. It passes the Northern States, both inland and along the 

 coast, on migration, and winters in the Southern States, Mexico, the West Indies, 

 and Central America. 



Allied forms. — Mareca penelope, the Old World representative of the 

 American Wigeon, a British species, and dealt with fully in the preceding chapter. 



Habits. — The habits of the American Wigeon are not known to differ in 

 any very important particular from those of its Palsearctic congener. In the 

 Southern United States, where it is extremely common during winter, it is known 

 to sportsmen by the name of " Bald-Pate." Like its Old World ally, it is said 

 to frequfent inland localities as well as the coast, and to visit rice-fields and rivers. 

 Its note is described as a low whistle, but probably it has others which resemble 

 those of the Common Wigeon. Its food is composed of vegetable and animal 

 substances, notably the succulent weed vallisneria and rice. The flesh of this 

 bird is said to be excellent. 



Nidification. — The nest of the American Wigeon is placed on the earth 

 amongst trees and bushes in swampy districts, but always on a dry bit of ground, 

 and is made of dead grass, leaves, and other vegetable refuse, and lined with plenty 

 of down and a few feathers plucked from the breast or flanks of the female. The 

 eggs are from six to twelve in number, creamy-white in colour, and measure on 

 an average 2'2 inches in length by 1'5 inch in breadth. The down is apparently 

 the same in colour as that of the Common Wigeon. One brood only is reared in 

 the year. 



Diagnostic characters — (Nuptial plumage) Mareca, with the upper 

 tail coverts grey, the under tail coverts black, the upper part of the head whitish, 

 sides of head and upper neck whitish, spotted with black (male) ; with the head 

 and upper neck whitish spotted with black (female). Length, 19 to 20 inches. 



