342 AMERICAN WIDGEON.
grey ; the other parts as described above, but the upper tail-coverts
black at the end. In some individuals the top of the head is reddishwhite,
in others light red, in others pure white ; in some, most of the
smaller wing-coverts are white, in others grey or brownish-grey; in
some the throat is whitish, in others black. These differences) no
doubt, depend upon age and season.
The American Widgeon has been Considered distinct from the
European ; not on account of any difference in size or form, or texture
of plumage, but because it has in certain stages a green band on the
side of the head, which the European bird is said not to have. The
mirror is the same in both ; the wing-coverts are white or grey in both ;
the crown is white, or cream-coloured, or orange-brown, in both ; but
in the European the head and neck are described as reddish-chestnut,
and in the American as yellowish-white. Now, in fact, American birds
sometimes have the head and neck red, and European Birds sometimes
have the green streak on the side of the head. ' In short, on comparing
specimens from America) with others from India and Norway, I cannot
perceive any essential difference. At the same time, not having
traced our Widgeon through all its gradations, and being equally unacquainted
with all those of the European and Asiatic Widgeon, I cannot
positvoely affirm that Anas America/na, is identical with Anas Penelope.
A male preserved in spirits presents the following characters.
The roof of the mouth is deeply concave, with a median prominent
line, and numerous irregular small tubercles on the sides, with several
larger ones at the fore part. Two large branches of the supra-maxillary
nerve run in this ridge, as in other ducks. The tongue is 1 inch 5 twelfths
long, with numerous straight, pointed papillae at the base, à median
longitudinal groove, and a thin broadly rounded point. The oesophagus,
a b G d, is 10 inches long, narrow, dilating a little on the lower
part of the neck, where its diameter is £ inch. The proventriculus,
b c, is 8 twelfths broad ; its glands oblong, 2 twelfths in length, and
occupying a belt 1 inch 4 twelfths in breadth. The gizzard, e f g , is
extremely large, of a nearly regular elliptical form, placed obliquely,
its length 1 inch 8 twelfths, its breadth S | inches ; its lateral muscles
extremely large, the left, e, 1 inch 2 twelfths in thickness, the other,/,
1 inch and 1 twelfth ; the inferior muscle, g, only 1 twelfth. In the
AMERICAN WIDGEON.