542 WIG EON. 



or rather more. These were deposited two feet below the opening, 

 on the decayed wood, without the smallest appearance of a nest. 



As soon as the female had escaped, she flew to a decayed branch of a 

 neighbouring tree, and there began the jarring noise before mentioned, 

 which was soon answered by the male from a distant part of the wood, 

 who soon joined his mate, and both continued these vibrations, trying 

 different branches, till they found the most sonorous. Although not so 

 numerous as the poppinjay, this species is generally diffused though the 

 woody districts of our Island. *Selby saw them on the banks of the 

 Spey, and amid the wild scenery of the Dee.* 



WIGEON (Mareca Jistularis, Stephens.) 



Anas Penelope, Lath. Syn. and Supp. 2. p. 354. — Linn. Trans. 4. p. 111. t. 13. f. 

 9. (Trachea.) — Anatra Mangeana, Stor. degl. ucc. 5. p. 585. and 6 — Anas 



fistularis, Briss. 6. p. 391. 21. t. 35. f. 2 lb. 8vo. 2. p. 464 — Pleifente, 



Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 4. p. 1109.— Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 2. p. 541. — 

 Frisch, Vbg. t. 164. old male. t. 169. young male. — Canard siffleur, Buff. Ois. 



9. p. 169. t. 10. 11 lb. pi. Enl. 825. a male Wigeon, Whewer, Whim, Br. 



Zool. 2. No. 268. -lb. fol. 157. Addend, t. Q. 157.— Arct. Zool. 2. p. 574. K. 



— Will. (Angl.) p. 375. t. 12.—Alhin, 2. t. 99.— Lath. Syn. 6. p. 518. 63 



Lewin's Br. Birds, 7. t. 251.— Wale. Syn. 1. t.71. — Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 21 



Bewick's Br. Birds, 2. p. 352. — Flem. Br. Anim. p. 125. 



Provincial. — Pundle. Whew. Yellowhall. 



This species weighs about twenty-four ounces ; length twenty inches ; 

 the bill is narrow, of a bluish lead-colour, tipped with black ; irides 

 hazel ; the top of the head, from the bill and chin, yellowish cream- 

 colour ; the rest of the head and upper part of the neck bay, speckled 

 with black ; breast vinaceous ; belly white ; upper and under tail coverts 

 black, edged with rufous above and with white beneath ; back, scapu- 

 lars, and sides under the wings, black and white in fine undulated lines ; 

 coverts of the wings dusky brown, with pale edges ; quills dusky ; 

 secondaries green on the outer webs, tipped with black ; those next the 

 body have the margin of the outer webs more or less white ; the tail is 

 cuneiform ; the two middle feathers pointed, and considerably longer 

 than the rest ; these are dusky, dashed with cinereous ; the rest cinere- 

 ous, edged with rufous brown; legs and feet dusky lead-colour, the 

 latter small. 



This bird, like all the duck tribe, is subject to variety, according to 

 age ; in some the forehead is almost white, and the feathers on the back 

 and sides mottled with brown ; the wing coverts mixed with white. 



The female is about seventeen inches in length ; the bill is like that 

 of the male, but not quite so blue ; irides similar ; the head and neck 

 speckled with dusky and ferruginous, by reason of each feather being 

 minutely barred ; the feathers of the upper part of the back dusky, 



