AMERICAN WIDGEON. 
199 
Hudson’s Bay in May, as soon as the thaws come on, 
'Chiefly in pairs ; lay there only from six to eijjht eggs ; 
feed on flies and worms in the swamps ; depart in 
“i^cks in autumn.* 
.Tlicso birds are frequently brought to the market 
^ Baltimore, and generally bring a good price, their 
®esh being excellent. They are of a lively frolicsome 
I'sposition, and, with proper attention, might easily 
domesticated. 
. The widgeon, or bald pate, measures twenty-two 
!'*chcs in length, and thirty inches in extent ; the hill, 
** of a slate colour, the nail, black ; the front and cron n, 
coloured, sometimes nearly white, the feathers, 
"'dated ; from the eye backwards to the middle of the 
"oek behind, extends a band of deep glossy green, gold, 
""d purple ; throat, chin, and sides of the neck before, 
I'ar a.s the green extends, dull yellowish white, thickly 
?Peckled with black; breast and hind part of the neck, 
"oary ijay^ running in under the wings, where it is 
'^''ossed with tine waving lines of black, whole belly, 
"'kite ; vent, black; back and scapulars, black, thickly 
?'*d beautifully crossed with nndtilating lines of vinous 
py ; lower part of the back, more dusky ; tail-co verts, 
])ointed, tvhitish, crossed as the back ; tail, pointed, 
povviiish ash ; the two middle feathers an inch longer 
■kan the rest, and tapering; shoulder of the wing, 
.’'ovvnish ash ; wing-coverts, immediately below, white, 
"•■niiug a large spot ; primaries, brownish ash, middle 
^®®ondaries black, glossed with green, forming the spe- 
'^"hini ; tertials, black, edged with white, between which 
"d the beauty spot several of the secondaries are white. 
The female has the whole head and neck yellowish 
I^kite, thicklv speckled with black, very little rufous on 
Ule ’ 
as 
® breast; the back is dark brown. The young males. 
Usual, very much like the females during the first 
^aasou, and do not receive their full plumage until the 
'_*’uond year. They are also subject to a regular change 
«ver 
y spring and autumn. 
* Huxchims. 
