Records from Nippinickett Pond, Bridgewater, Mass.— The 
captures of the following ducks on Nippinickett Pond seem worthy of 
record. European Widgeon, Mareca penelope, Nov. 7, 1902. Shot by A 
C. Dyke. 
Two European Widgeons, Mareca -penelope , Oct. 22, 1910, from a flock 
of 4 birds. Shot by Harry P. Sturtevant. 
European Widgeon, Mareca penelope, Oct. 23, 1910. Shot by A. C. 
Dyke. 
ok^xx/x. OcJr, 19 / isf'V'd-jL 
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Two Unrecorded Specimens of the European Widgeon from 
Massachusetts. — As the European Widgeon ( Mareca penelope) has so 
rarely been taken in Massachusetts I wish to record a specimen in my 
collection taken at Ipswich, on October 25, 1909. The bird, an immature 
male, was shot by a gunner and sent into the Boston markets where it was 
recognized by Mr. John H. Hardy, Jr., through whose kindness it came 
into my possession. 
Mr. A. C. Bent permits me to record another specimen, in similar plum¬ 
age taken at Bridgewater on November 9, 1903, by Mr. J. E. Bassett and 
now in his collection (No. 1886, Coll. A. C. Bent). This is the first record 
of the occurrence of the species in Bristol County.—■ F. Seymour Hersey, 
Taunton, Mass. XXXl, I 9 ZIJ3. 
European Widgeon ( Mareca penelope) at Boston, Mass. On Octo 
[ „ tmrl were afterwards viewed from time to time during 
ef Oeieher and thrmurhout, November and December. 
When in early January ice was forming on the pond, one of the two left 
on the third or fourth day; the other remained to January 17, when ice 
had covered all but a few small areas of the pond. These young males 
showed little or nothing of the creamy buff crown upon their arrival, but 
they gradually developed this feature. So at first their true identifica¬ 
tion was difficult, but the two-note call and chestnut color of the head 
clearly differentiated them from Baldpates. By December the plumage 
of the adult male European Widgeon was quite fully developed, and at the 
time they left they lacked little of its completeness. One gained the adult 
plumage somewhat earlier than the other, so they could readily be dis¬ 
tinguished. A female Baldpate joined them about December 1 and left 
on January 16, one day earlier than the later remaining Widgeon. A cold 
wave had brought the temperature at the pond down to 13° below zero 
on the thirteenth. 
In early December their companions on the pond were 400 to 500 Black 
Ducks, the number varying from day to day, several Mallards, a few 
Scaup Ducks, 90 to 100 Lesser Scaup, a young male Bufflehead, 3 Ruddy 
Ducks, 25 to 60 Mergansers, 8 Coot, and a few Herring Gulls, a collection 
of water fowl, the numbers of which had been steadily increasing during 
November and were decreasing in late December. 
This occurrence of European Widgeon on Jamaica Pond was the first 
in Boston and its immediate vicinity, if I am not in error. Like other 
wild ducks which visit protected waters, these Widgeons soon become 
unsuspicious and allowed near approach. They were objects of interest 
and pleasure to many observers throughout their long visit.— Horace W. 
Wright, Boston, Mass. <4~Jk.xxxi.j^ /9'Vft.3?7.3?8. 
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