ORNAMENTAL WATERFOWL. 157 
the beginning of winter, leaving early in May, and repairing to 
its breeding grounds in Hudson’s Bay. Its food consists of 
aquatic herbage, worms, insects, and grain, Audubon stating 
that it often frequents the ploughed fields in the Southern 
States, especially after heavy falls of rain. Morris records 
the shooting of a male bird in Belfast Bay, during the 
February of 1844, and it was also identified by the late Mr. 
Bartlett from among a number of Common Wigeon exposed for 
sale in Leadenhall Market, about five years previously ; a few 
have been met with in this country in winter. This bird 
presents characteristics both of the Wigeon and Pintail, 
exhibiting the bill of the former, and the characteristic long 
tail feathers of the latter. It has been bred by Mr. St. Quentin 
at Scampston Hall, in Yorkshire, also I believe at Woburn 
Abbey. 
Male.—Head and crown cream colour, approaching to 
white, with a slightly indicated crest; from the eye to back of 
neck extends a band of violet, green, and gold; throat and 
sides of neck cream colour, dotted with black ; breast and sides 
fawn ; the flanks waved with black lines ; abdomen white ; back 
reddish-brown, pencilled with black and brown undulating lines; 
wings and tail dark brown ; upper wing-coverts white ; wing-bar 
green, black, and white; bill slate colour, tipped with black ; 
legs reddish-brown ; eye hazel. 
Female.—Head and neck yellowish-white, speckled with 
black ; back dark brown; smaller than male. 
Young.—Males resemble females during their first 
season. 
Egg.—Dirty yellowish-white; six to eight in number. 
May—June. Incubation, about twenty-four days. 
