( 4° ) 



O R D. III. G E N. XI. DUCK. 



SPE. VIII. WIDGEON. 

 PI. 252. 



Anas Penelope. Lin. Syji. I. p. 202. 



Le Canard fiffleur. Brif. Orn. VI. p. 391. 



The male widgeon weighs near a pound and half. The bill is an inch and 

 a half long, of a bluifh lead colour, the nail and tip black: the upper mandi- 

 ble arched, and narrow, as in the goofe, by which this fpecies, in every ftate 

 of growth, may readily be diftinguifhed from the reft of the genus: the eye is 

 dark brown : the head, a pale buff colour, fpotted with dull black, and almoft 

 white near the bill : neck, and throat, purple red, with blackifh brown mark- 

 ings: breaft, purpliih: back, and upper parts, white, with minute waving 

 lines of black, fo as to produce the appearance of a beautiful grey : fhoulder 

 of the wing, white : lefs wing coverts, Alining green, edged with black : greater 

 coverts, dark green, edged with white : quills, dufky : belly, white: tail, black: 

 legs, greenifh lead colour. 



The female is brown on the head, neck, and back : belly, white : on the 

 wings a patch of green. 



This fpecies, like the reft of the duck genus, varies much in plumage as 

 it approaches the adult ftate. It is common with us in the winter feafon, 

 frequenting the feaftiores, as well as frefh waters. A few breed with us in 

 unfrequented marines, but the greater part migrate from Sweden and other 

 northern parts of Europe. 



