194 
RIVER AND POND DUCKS 
The Gadwall is common in the interior but rare on the Atlantic 
Coast, except in Florida. Its voice is a quack higher and with less volume 
than that of the Mallard. It is a surprising sight to see these birds in 
courtship flight, when the male pursues the female often high in the 
air and for some time, on a course as erratic as that of a Barn Swallow. 
136 . Mareca penelope {Linn.). European Widgeon. Ad. d”. — 
Crown creamy buff; throat blackish, rest of head and neck rufous-brown; 
upper breast vinaceous, lower breast and belly white; sides and back finely 
marked with wavy black and white lines. Ad. $. — Head and throat deep 
ochraceous-buff, finely streaked and barred with black, darker above; 
upper breast and sides much the same color, but without black markings; 
lower breast and belly white; back grayish brown, the feathers with small 
ochraceous buffy bars; tertials fuscous, bordered by deep ochraceous huffy; 
greater wing-coverts brownish gray , usually whiter on the outer webs and 
tipped with black. W., 10*50; B., 1*40. 
Remarks. — The females of the European and American Widgeons bear a 
general resemblance to one another. Their distinguishing characters are 
mainly in the color of the head and throat, which are browner in the European 
species, and in the color of the greater wing-coverts, which are whiter in the 
American bird. 
Range. — N. part of the E. Hemisphere. Occurs in N. Y., N. S., N. F., 
and Greenland s. to Nebr., Mo., Ind., Ohio, N. C., and Fla., and in Alaska, 
B. G, and Calif. 
Washington, A. V., two records. Long Island, rare T. V. 
Eggs , 5-8, buffy white, 2*23 x 1*53. Date , Iceland, June 2. 
The European Widgeon is of rare but regular occurrence in Eastern 
North America. “The call-note of the male is a shrill, whistling whee- 
you, whence the local names Whew Duck’ and ‘Whewer’ ; but the female 
utters a low purr- ing growl. Both sexes, however, rise in silence.” 
(Saunders.) 
137 . Mareca americana ( Gmel .). Baldpate. Ad. <?. — Middle of 
crown white or buffy; sides of crown, from eye to nape, glossy green, more 
or less sprinkled with black ; lores, cheeks and throat buffy, finely barred with 
black: upper breast and sides vinaceous, the latter more or less finely barred 
with wavy black lines; lower breast and belly white; back grayish brown, 
more or less tinged with vinaceous and finely barred with black. Ad. $. — 
Head and throat white or pale, creamy buff, finely streaked and barred with 
black, darker above; upper breast and sides pale vinaceous washed with 
grayish; lower breast and belly white; back grayish brown, the feathers with 
small creamy buff bars; tertials fuscous, bordered with whitish or creamy 
buff ; greater wing-coverts brownish gray, their outer webs mostly or entirely 
white , their ends black, sometimes tipped with white. L., 19*00; W., 10*50; 
Tar., 1*50; B., 1*40. 
Range. — N. Am. Breeds from nw. Alaska, n. Mackenzie, and cen. Kee- 
watin s. to Ore., Nev., Utah, Colo., Kans., s. Wise., and n. Ind.; winters 
from s. B. C., Ariz., s. Ills., Md., and Del. (casually Mass., and R. I.), s. tos. 
L. Calif., the West Indies, and Costa Rica; rare in migration to n. Ont., n. 
Que., and N. F. ; accidental in Hawaii, Bermuda, and Europe. 
Washington, common W. R., Oct.-Apl. Long Island, T. V., common, Oct. 
10-Feb. ; less common Mch. 8-Apl. 16; a few winter. Ossining, common T. V., 
Mch. 11-Apl. 12; Oct. 4-28. Cambridge, rare T. V. in fall. N. Ohio, not com- 
mon T. V., Mch. 10-Apl. 25. SE. Minn., common T. V., Mch. 17-Oct. 20. 
Nest, on the ground near water, sometimes exposed, usually concealed 
in grass, weeds or bushes. Eggs , 7-12, buffy white, 2*05 x 1*50. Date , 
N. D., May 31. 
