220 WIGEON. 



off its natural timidity to a great extent, and becomes, as lie states, much more familiar 

 than either the Teal or Pochard, coming close to the house without fear. Its food is 

 taken at Walton Hall in the day-time; but in other less-favoured districts it feeds 

 both by night and by day. When wounded by boat-shooters, Mr. Thompson states, 

 that they retreat in all directions, seeking the sea-banks, or sometimes the land, where 

 they conceal themselves in drains or cover of any kind. They dive very adroitly, and 

 can sink the body in the water, so as to leave only the tip of the bill visible. 



The note is a shrill whistle, hence its name of Whew. 



The food consists chiefly of short grass, and Zoster a marina; but Mr. Thompson has 

 mentioned having once met with a sea-weed named Enteromorpha clathrata. Other plants 

 are also occasionally eaten by them. 



As to their method of procuring food during the time when the ground is covered 

 by snow, Mr. C. St. John says, under date, "February 8th. — The Wigeons leave the 

 bay, which is nearly covered with ice, and feed on the clover fields, digging under the 

 snow with their bills, to get at the herbage. I never saw them do so before in this 

 county; indeed it is very seldom that the snow in Morayshire remains long enough on 

 the ground, at least in the district near the sea, to annoy the wildfowl to any extent." 



It is also stated by Mr. St. John, that so early as February 8th., he has known 

 Wigeon paired in Sutherlandshire. 



The nest is composed of reeds, rushes, and other water-plants, lined with down; it 

 is usually placed in a thick clump of rushes or coarse herbage, near the edge of some 

 secluded lake or pond. 



The eggs, which are of a creamy white colour, measure in length two inches and an 

 eighth, by one inch and a half in breadth. In number they vary from five to eight. 



The adult male has the bill bluish gray; the tip and nail, black. Irides, dark brown. 

 Forehead and top of head, pale reddish yellow; cheeks and back of neck, chestnut; 

 chin and throat, black. Back, scapulars, and sides, grayish white, irregularly waved 

 with fine zig-zag lines of black. Upper tail coverts, speckled with gray; tail, brownish 

 black, the feathers pointed and elongated. Primaries, hair brown; secondaries, black at 

 the base and tip; the centre a fine green, forming the speculum or beauty spot; tertials 

 have the inner webs gray, the outer ones black with an edging of white. Wing coverts, 

 white; the greater with black tips. LoAver neck and breast, pale reddish gray; belly 

 and vent, white; under tail coverts, pure black; legs and feet, dark brown. 



The female has the head and neck brownish yellow, covered with dark brown spots; 

 feathers of back, brown with paler edges; breast, belly, aud vent, white. 



In the summer the males approximate in plumage to the females, and do not regain 

 their beauty till after the autumnal moult. The young males resemble the females. 



In length the adult male measures eighteen inches. 



