290 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Food. — Largely animal as well as vegetable, including spawn and 

 young of frogs and fish (Naumann), fresh-water mollusca (Planorbis,. 

 etc.), worms, leeches, insects, especially aquatic beetles (Hydrobius, 

 Parnus, Cyclonotum, etc.), water-boatman (Naucoris), larvae of 

 Phryganeidse. Vegetable matter includes seecls, buds and leaves of 

 many water-plants (Potamogelon, Sparganium, Scirpus, Carex, 

 Glyceria, Juncus, Nymphcea, Polygonum, Rumex, Ranunculus 

 aquatilis, and Lemna). Sea- weed has also been recorded on coast 

 and rice in India. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Summer resident (beginning April 

 to early Sept.) and vagrant. Breeds regularly Norfolk, Suffolk, and 

 Kent ; has bred Durham (1880-7), Yorks. (1882, 1908), Essex, 

 Hants. (1897), Somerset (1910), Lines. (1914), Sussex (1918). Else- 

 where vagrant — usually spring, less frequently autumn, and excep- 

 tionally winter. Especially rare Wales, west and north England, 

 Scotland (not occurred 0. Hebrides), and Ireland. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Palsearctic region generally, breeding 

 chiefly in subarctic portions, migrating in winter as far south as 

 northern and tropical Africa, and Seychelles, and south Asia as far 

 as Philippines, New Guinea, Celebes, Sula Is., Sunda Is., Moluccas, 

 once Australia. 



ANAS PENELOPE 



306. Anas penelope L.— THE WIGEON. 



Anas Penelope Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., eel. x, i, p. 126 (1758 — Europe. 



Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Mareca penelope (Linnaeus), Yarrell, iv, p. 397 ; Saunders, p. 437. 



Description" (Plate 6). — Adult male. Winter and summer. — Fore- 

 head and crown cream or cinnamon-buff (paler when worn) feathers 

 of hinder-crown with black bar at tip ; nape chestnut, tips of feathers 

 with narrow bar of black glossed green ; mantle and upper scapulars 

 finely vermiculated dark mouse-grey and white, long scapulars 

 with mouse-grey shaft-streaks, lower scapulars plain mouse-grey, 

 some freckled cream towards tip ; back and rump mouse -grey, 

 feathers with darker shafts and vermiculated white (sometimes 

 more uniform) ; sides of rump white ; central upper tail-coverts 

 pale mouse -grey edged white or light buff, some with broad white 

 tips vermiculated mouse -grey, lower ones blackish-grey or black 

 edged light buff, remainder black ; lores, cheeks and sides of neck 

 chestnut, feathers mostly tipped black ; a patch behind eye to 

 nape with broad black tips glossed metallic -green ; chin and throat 

 black ; feathers of fore -neck chestnut with numerous black tips 

 (black tips and bars of head and neck become worn off) ; upper- 

 breast pink-vinaceous, feathers narrowly tipped white, feathers 

 bordering fore-neck usually with wavy dusky bars ; sides of body 

 and flanks strongly vermiculated dark mouse -grey and white, many 

 feathers clouded towards base with pink-vinaceous ; centre of 



