( 88 j 

 The Wigeon ox Whew er. Anas Fiftularij 



Numb. XCIX. , 



IT S Weight is one Pound and fix Ounces ; Length, from the Point of the Bill to 

 the end of the Feet, is twenty Inches ; Breadth, when the Wings are extended, two 

 Foot ten Inches -, the Head and upper End of the Neck are red ; the Crown towards 

 the Bill is of a dilute Colour, from red inclining to a yellowifh white j the upper part 

 of the Bread and Sides, as far as the Wings, are beautified with a very fair Tindure of 

 red wine Colour, with finall tranfverfe black Lines ; the fcapular Feathers, and thofe 

 on the Sides under the Wings are very curioufly varied with narrow tranfverfe black 

 and white waved Lines ; the middle of the Back is brown, the Edges of the Feathers 

 being cinereous, efpecially towards the Tail; the Feathers behind the Vent next the 

 Tail are black; the Breaft and Belly are white with a little Mixture of yellow; on 

 Jboth Sides under the Legs are Spots of a redifh brown; under the Tail are white 

 Feathers alike fpotted and mingled with black : the Tail is fliarp pointed, and confifts of 

 fourteen Feathers, of which the fix outer on each fide are brown, their exteriour Edges 

 being whitifh, the two middle ones are black, with a Mixture of Afh-colour; of the 

 Quill-Feathers the ten outmofi: are brown, the next ten have white Tips, and among 

 them the fifteenth, fixteenth, feventeenth, and eighteenth have their outer Webs 

 firft of a black purplifh Colour, then as far as they appear beyond the Covert Feathers 

 of a lovely blue ; in the eighteenth Feather the exteriour half of the outer Web is of a 

 purplifli black, the interiour towards the Bottom is cinereous ; but along the Border of 

 the black are fm-all light Spots from the white Tip to the Bottom; the twentieth Feather 

 is all of a pale or white Afli-colour ; the twenty firft and twenty fecond are white about 

 the Edges, black in the middle along the Shaft; the fmall covert Feathers of the Wings 

 are of a light brawn, or dark Afli-colour, but thofe tliat cover the Quills from the 

 tenth to the twentieth are parti-coloured of brown, white, and cinereous. 



In the Structure of the Mouthy Tongue, and Head, it difi'ers little from the com- 

 mon TFild-Duck, unlefs perchance the Head be lefs in Proportion to the Body; the 

 tipper Mandible of the Bill is of a lead Colour, with a round black Nail at the End ; 

 the Feet from a duiky incline to a Lead Colour; the Claws are black; the outmoft 

 Toe longer than the inmoil ; the back Toe the fhorteft. 



It feeds upon Grafs and Weeds growing in the Bottoms of Rivers, and Lakes, and 

 Channels of Water, alfo upon Wilks, Periwinkles, &c. that it finds there. The Males 

 of this Kind at Cambridge are called Wigeons, the Females IVheivers. The Flefh of ic 

 for Delicacy is much inferiour to Teal, or indeed Wild- Ducks. 



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