63-
4- COMMON
WIGEON.
Anas Penelope, Lin* Sy/l. i. p. 202. 27,*—Fautt» Sum, N° 124.— Brun*
N° 72.— Muller,N° 121.— Kram. El.p. 342. 16,— Georgi Reife, p. 166.
Anas Kogolha, N, C. Petr, xv. p. 468. N° 15. t. 21 ?
Le Canard fiffleur, Brif, Orn. vi. p. 391* 21. pi. 35. fig. z,—Buf, Oif. ix.
p. 169. pi. 10, 11.— PI. Enl. 825.
The Wigeon, Whewer, or Whim, Rati Syn. p. 146. A. 3.— Will. Orn,
p. 375. pi. 72.— Albin, ii. pi. 99.— Br. Zool, ii. N° 286.—Ar£t. Zool.
p. 574. K.
Br. Muf Lev• Muf,
Description* J E N G T H twenty inches : weight twenty-three ounces. Bill
narrow, an inch and a half long, and of a blueilh lead-colour
: tip black : the top of the head is cream-colour, a little
mottled with dulky fpots; over the bill almoft white: head and
neck of a bright bay, and fpotted with dulky: the lower part of
it behind, and the breaft, vinaceous * l back and fcapulars minutely
undulated with black and white lines : fides of the body
the fame, but paler : wing coverts brown, more or lefs mixed
with white f | quills dulky, fome of them banded with white;
the outer webs of the middle ones green, forming a fpeculum or
fpot, bounded above and below with black: the belly white:
vent black : legs dulky lead-colour.
Female. The female is brown, the middle of the feathers deepeft : the
fore part of the neck and breaft paler: fcapulars dark brown,
with paler edges : wings and belly as in the male.
Place and
M anners.
This fpecies is pretty common on molt parts of the old continent,
on which we are allured it migrates as low as Egypt; being
* Sometimes, though rarely, marked with round black ipots.—Br. Zool.
t la fome fpecies wholly white.
caught
caught there, from the middle to the end of November, by nets in
the marlhes, before the departure of the waters. It is alfo found
in Aleppo, during the winter, in plenty. Obferved likewife in
tht Cafpian Sea and its neighbourhood; and in mod parts of
Europe as far as Sweden. Is pretty common in England during
the winter months; being caught, among other Ducks, in the
decoys at that feafon. It is faid not to breed in France, nor are
we certain that it does in England.
Both fexes are alike till the following fpring after hatching,
when the male, about March, gains his full plumage; but is obferved
to lofe it again the end of July*, and with it in fome
meafure its voice, which is thought to be very like the found
of a flute. The flelh is much efteemed.
g I Z E of a Wigeon: length fifteen inches. Bill two inches ;
colour red; round the bafe black; the head is of a pale
blueilh alh-colour, marked with minute dufky fpecks, as in the
Wigeon: lower part of the neck, and breaft, blueilh alh-colour,
the feathers margined with the laft : back reddifh brown, edged
with cream-colour: quills of a dulky alh : fpeculum on the wings
pale greenilh blue, bounded above and below with white: legs
pale red : webs dulky : claws black.
Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope. From the drawings of Sir
JoJeph Banks.
64.
CAPE W.
D escriptions
P lage
* Hiß, des Oif.— We remember once to have feen fuch a party-coloured
bird, appearing as if it were half male halffemale ; no doubt in its change.
S Ic