222 AMERICAN WIGEON. 



Although he thus noted the bird particularly, and, with another fowler who accompanied 

 him to Strangford, held a kind of inquest on its species, it was unfortunately sold with 

 his other wildfowl; as, from his having seen singular varieties of birds in the hands of 

 bird-preservers, he thought this might be a remarkable state of plumage of the Common 

 Wigeon: of a second species he had not at that time heard. He is certain of having 

 killed birds of the same kind in Belfast Bay, but never any so far advanced towards 

 adult male plumage. Placing entire reliance on the discrimination and accuracy of Bell, 

 I have not hesitated to notice this bird as a visitant to our coast." 



Wilson says that this Wigeon is "very common in winter along our Avhole coast (of 

 North America,) from Florida to Bhode Island, but most abundant in Carolina, where 

 it frequents the rice plantations." He farther states that "The Widgeon is the constant 

 attendant of the celebrated Canvass-back Duck, so abundant in various parts of the 

 Chesapeake Bay, by the aid of whose labour he has ingenuity enough to contrive to 

 make a good subsistence. The Widgeon is extremely fond of the tender roots of that 

 particular species of aquatic plant on which the Canvass-back feeds, and for which that 

 Duck is in the constant habit of diving, (Valisneria, B. K. M.) The Widgeon, who 

 never dives, watches the moment of the Canvass-back's rising, and before he has his 

 eyes well opened, snatches the delicious morsel from his mouth, and makes off." 



The note is like that of the Common Wigeon, and is syllabled by the letters 'whew.' 



Pairing takes place in April, and they arrive on the coast of Hudson's Bay in May. 



The eggs are six or eight in number, but we are ignorant of their size or colour. 



The adult male has the bill slate-colour; the nail, black; iricles, hazel; forehead and 

 crown, creamy white ; from the eye a band of dark green runs to the back of the neck. 

 Neck, cheeks, and nape, yellowish white, thickly speckled with black; nuchal feathers, 

 slightly elongated. Upper back and scapulars, black, minutely crossed with wavy lines 

 of brownish red. Lower back, dusky brown ; upper tail coverts, whitish, undulated with 

 brownish red. Tail, brownish ash, a little elongated and pointed; primaries, brown; 

 secondaries, green, edged with black, forming the speculum; tertials, black with white 

 edges; shoulders, ashy brown, shading into the wing coverts, which become pure white 

 at the edge of the speculum. Lower neck and upper part of breast, red brown, with 

 a tinge of gray; lower breast, belly, and vent, white; under tail coverts, black. Legs 

 and feet, brownish black. 



In the female, the head and neck are minutely speckled .with black on a yellowish 

 white ground; the back, dark brown, the feathers slightly barred and edged with a 

 paler shade; breast, paler in colour. Tail, shorter. 



The adult male is one foot ten inches in length. The female but twenty inches. 



The plate is taken from a beautiful drawing by John Gatcombe, Esq., of Wyndham 

 Place, Plymouth. 



