694 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —LAMELLIROSTBES -ANSEMES. 
712. 
713. 
288. 
Analysis of Species. 
Head and neck cinnamon-red, scarcely varied ; witli mere traces of green, if any ; top of head creamy or 
brownisli-wbite penelope 712 
Head and neck grayish, speckled with dusky, the sides of the head with a broad patch of green, the top 
white or nearly so americana 713 
M. penelope. {Penelope, a mythological name.) European Wigeon. Size and general 
character of the next species ; differing as above. Europe ; Greenland ; rare or casual along 
the whole Atlantic coast ; more numerous on the N. Pacific coast and S. to California. 
M. america'na. (Fig. 481.) American Wigeon. Bald-pate. Adult $ : Bill grayish-blue, 
with black tip and extreme base; feet similar^ dulkn-, with dusky webs and claws; iris brown. 
Top of head white, or nearly so ; sides the same, or more buffy, speckled M'ith dusky-green, 
purer green forming a 
broad patch from and 
below eye to hind 
head ; chin dusky. 
Fore neck and breast 
light brownish - red, 
or very pale purphsh- 
cinnamon, each feath- 
er Avith paler grayish 
edge ; along the sides 
of the body the same, 
finely waved with 
dusky; the breast aud 
belly pure white, the 
crissum abruptly 
black. Lower hind 
neck aud fore back 
and scapulars finely 
waved with the same 
Fig. 481. - American Wijieoii. (From Lewis.) reddish color and with 
dusky; lower back and rump similarly waved with dusky and whitish. Lesser wing-coverts 
plain gray ; middle and greater coverts pure white, forming a large area, the greater black- 
tipped, forming the fore border of the speculum, which is glossy green, bordered behind by 
velvety black, internally by the black and white stripes on the inner secondaries. Tail brown- 
ish-gray, the lateral upper coverts black ; axillary feathers white. Only old drakes have the 
crown immaculate white, the chin dusky, the auricular patch definitely green ; generally the 
whole head and upper neck are pale brovtmish- yellow or reddish-white, speckled with greenish- 
dusky. 9 resembling the immature ^ on the head ; the peculiar brownish-red is interrupted 
with dusky and whitish bars. The wing-pattern is nearly as in the ^ ; but the white is re- 
stricted or interrupted with gray, the greater coverts may lack black tips, the speculum is faint, 
and the black stripes of the inner secondaries are replaced by brown. The normal variability 
in coloration, aside from age or sex, is great, but the bird cannot be mistaken under any 
conditions ; the extensive white of the under parts and wings is recognizable at gun-shot 
range. Length 18.00-21.00; extent 30.00-35.00; wing ]0.00-11.00; tail 4.00-4.50; bill 
1.60; tarsus 1.50; middle toe and claw more. N. Am. at large, breeding anywhere; Europe, 
casually. Eggs 8-12, 2.00 X 1-50, dull pale buff. 
QUERQUE'DULA. (Lat. querqiiedula, a small kind of duck ; related to English quack.) 
Teal Ducks. Bill nearly or quite as long as the head, longer than tarsus, narrow and par- 
allel-sided, the nail narrow, -I- to ^ of the tip. Size smallest among our ducks. Sexes more or 
less unlike. Speculum glossy-green. Bill blackish. The genus contains two sections, perhaps 
as worthy of distinction as some of the foregoing genera. 
