AMERICAN WIDGEON, 
199 
of Hudson’s Bay in May, as soon as the thaws come on, 
chiefly in pairs ; lay there only from six to eight eggs ; 
and feed on flies and worms in the swamps ; depart in 
flocks in autumn.* 
These birds are frequently brought to the market 
of Baltimore, and generally bring a good price, their 
flesh being excellent. They are of a lively frolicsome 
disposition, and, with proper attention, might easily 
be domesticated. 
The widgeon, or bald pate, measures twenty-two 
inches in length, and thirty inches in extent; the bill, 
is of a slate .colour, the nail, black ; the front and crown, 
cream coloured, sometimes nearly white, the feathers, 
inflated ; from the eye backwards to the middle of the 
neck behind, extends a band of deep glossy green, gold, 
and purple ; throat, chin, and sides of the neck before, 
as far as the green extends, dull yellowish white, thickly 
speckled with black; breast and hind part of the neck, 
hoary bay, running in under the wings, where it is 
crossed with fine waving lines of black, whole belly, 
white ; vent, black ; back and scapulars, black, thickly 
and beautifully crossed with undulating lines of vinous 
bay ; lower part of the back, more dusky ; tail-coverts, 
long, pointed, whitish, crossed as the back ; tail, pointed, 
brownish ash ; the two middle feathers an inch longer 
than the rest, and tapering; shoulder of the wing, 
brownish ash ; wing-coverts, immediately below, white, 
forming a large spot ; primaries, brownish ash, middle 
secondaries black, glossed with green, forming the spe- 
culum ; tertials, black, edged with white, between which 
and the beauty spot several of the secondaries are white. 
The female has the whole head and neck yellowish 
white, thickly speckled with black, very little rufous on 
the breast ; the back is dark brown. The young males, 
as usual, very much like the females during the first 
season, and do not receive their full plumage until the 
second year. They are also subject to a regular change 
every spring and autumn. 
* Hutchins. 
