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mentions its occurrence on Vancouver Island ; and Mr. Dall found it not uncommon near Nulato, 

 and on the Yukon, but rare at St. Michaels. . . . On the coast of Norton Sound, according to 

 Mr. Adams, the Wigeon does not arrive until the 12th of May ; but later a considerable number 

 were always to be met with about the inland marshes. . . . According to Dr. Cooper this 

 species is one of the most abundant freshwater Ducks found during the winter in California, 

 and, being easily shot, is one of the most common kinds in the market. ... It has been found 

 during the summer among the Rocky Mountains in lat. 42° N. ; and is said by Dr. Suckley to 

 breed among the inland lakes of Oregon. At that season it usually ranges from lat. 50° to 68°." 



In the Southern States it appears to be numerous in the winter. I found it abundant in 

 Southern Texas and near Matamoros in Mexico ; and Col. Grayson records it as abundant on the 

 coast of Western Mexico, near Mazatlan, from November until late in spring. Mr. Salvin (Ibis, 

 1859, p. 231) found it "common on the Lake of Atitlan, where it was seen in May 1858, and 

 also observed near the village of Laguna, about a day's journey from Guatemala"; and in 1862 

 he met with it in the lagoons on the west coast of Guatemala. It also occurs on most of the 

 West India Islands during the winter season, and has been recorded by Prof. A. Newton as 

 observed by Mr. Ruse on the Island of St. Thomas, by Gundlach and others from Cuba, by 

 Mr. Albrecht (J. f. O. 1862, p. 207) from Jamaica, and by Leotaud from Trinidad, where he 

 says (Ois. Trinidad, p. 511) " it is a bird of passage, arriving in December or January, and 

 leaving in April." He speaks of its flesh as being extremely dainty, and fit to grace the table of 

 any epicure, especially that of young birds which have spent some time on the island. It is 

 also recorded by Mr. Hurdis as having visited the Bermudas in October and November 1864. 



According to Nuttall (Orn. U. S., Water Birds, p. 390), " the Wigeon or Bald Pate is a 

 frequent attendant on the Canvass-Back, and often profits by this association. The former not 

 beiug commonly in the habit of diving for subsistence, or merely from caprice, watches the 

 motions of its industrious neighbour, and as soon as the Canvass-Back rises with the favourite 

 root on which they both greedily feed, the Bald Pate snatches the morsel, and makes off with 

 his booty. They are always very alert and lively, feeding and swimming out into the ponds and 

 rivers at all hours of the day, but are extremely watchful, sheltering in coves and behind the 

 land, and on the slightest attempt to steal upon them, immediately row out into the stream 

 beyond gunshot, and then only take to wing when much disturbed. In Carolina and the West 

 Indies they frequent the rice-fields in flocks, and in Martinico are said to do considerable damage 

 to the crops. When thus feeding in company they have a sort of sentinel on the watch. At 

 times they keep in covert until twilight, and are then traced by their low, guttural, and peculiar 

 whistle or whew, whew, as well as other calls, and their whistle is frequently imitated with success 

 to entice them within gunshot. They feed much in the winter upon aquatic vegetables, cropping 

 the Potamogeton or Pond Weed, as well as other kinds of freshwater plants and seeds, and some- 

 times themselves dive and collect the roots and leaves of the Ruppia and Zostera or sea-wrack." 



Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway write (I. c.) that " while the Canvass-backs and the 

 Black-heads dive and pull up by the roots the Vallisneria grass, the Bald-pates manage to obtain 

 their full share of it, and at times succeed in robbing them of the whole. At this time the 

 flavour of the Bald-pate is considered preferable to that of even the far-famed Canvass-backs. 

 Of all the Ducks that are found in the Chesapeake, the Wigeon is said to be one of the most 



