J so 
COMMON WIDGEON. 
As among many of the other ducks we appear 
also to have a periodical change, and in a specimen 
before us, procured in Scotland, we have the white 
part of the breast and the scapulars intermixed with 
feathers of a yellowish brown, with dark lunate 
bars. In a third, procured in Edinburgh market, we 
have the head and neck intermixed with brownish 
black and yellowish brown, none of the white or 
beautiful bluish grey appearing, and only a few 
feathers of chestnut-brown coming out upon the 
flanks ; the plumage generally brown, with a mix- 
ture of yellowish brown. 
Mareca, Steph. — Generic characters. — Bill short, 
of equal breadth throughout ; lamina; nearly 
concealed ; nostrils lateral, basal ; wings acute ; 
feet small, hallux with a narrow membrane. 
Typos. — M. pen elope, Americana, &c. — Europe, 
Asia, Africa, America. 
Note. — Feed on grasses or vegetables, somewhat 
in the manner of the geese. Breed inland. 
The Common Widgeon. — Mareca penelope. — 
Anas penelope, Linn., Selby, &c. — Mareca Jislulafis, 
Steph. — L. Canard siffimr , Temm. — The Widgeon 
or Where of British authors. — We have placed 
the widgeon here, or last, among the first sub- 
family of British ducks, as being a bird of shy 
character, and though it breeds inland, frequenting 
the coast more commonly than those which have 
