﻿THE WIGEON. Ill 



NA TA TORES. A NA T1DM. 



PLATE CCLII. 



WIGEON. 



MARECA PENELOPE. 



The Wigeon is a regular winter visitant in Great Britain, 

 at which season of the year it is distributed over every suitable 

 locality, both on the sea-coast, and about the rivers and lakes, 

 fens and ponds of our midland counties. 



The geographical distribution of the Wigeon extends 

 over the chief parts of Europe and Asia ; the summer 

 months are passed in Iceland, Scandinavia, Norway, Sweden, 

 Finland, Poland, Prussia, Britain, Holland, and France, 

 and in countries of the same temperature in Asia ; but on the 

 approach of winter it migrates southward, and spreads over the 

 entire south of both these quarters of the globe, and does not 

 unfrequently reach beyond them, namely, as far as Egypt. 



It is said that some individuals remain to breed in this 

 country, but the greater portion go further north for that pur- 

 pose, and return with increased numbers in the autumn. These 

 autumnal migrations generally begin late in September, or 

 early in October, at which time small parties arrive from the 

 north and north-east ; and as the season advances, they collect 

 together in considerable flocks, in order to journey in a body 



