ja a D U C K .
6;.
+- AMERICAN
WIGEON.
D e s c r i p t io n .
IPlage and
M a-NN-ERSo
'Le Canard Jenfen, Pi. Enl. 955*— Buf. Oif. ix. p. r74*
American Wigeon, Aril. Zool. N° 502.
Lev. Muf.
A T R I F L E bigger than our Wigeon: length the fame.
Bill lead-colour j tip black : crown and forehead yellowilh
white: hind part of the head and neck black and white, fpeckled :
behind the eye a black mark, changing in fome lights to green :
back and fcapulars pale ruft-colour, waved with tranfverfe black
lines: in the middle of the wing coverts a large bed of white :
quills and tail deep brown : vent nearly black : legs dulky.
Inhabits North America, from Carolina to Hudfim’s Bay.; but is
;no where a common bird. Called at New Tork, the i'heafant
Duck *. In more plenty at St. Domingo and Cayenne, where it
is called Vingeon or Gingeon. At Martinico great flocks of them
■ often take fhort flights from one ««-plantation to another,
'where they make much havock, particularly during the rainy fea-
fon. Are faid to perch on trees. Feed in company-, and have a
.centinel on the watch, like fome other birds. This fpecies is fel-
>dom feen during the day, lying hid in places fhaded from the fun ;
but fo foon as that luminary difappears, come forth from their
hiding-places to feed; and, during this, make a particular kind of
noife, fo as to guide the fportfman in his refearches after them;
often betraying themfelves thereby, when otherwife, under cover
-of the evening, their filence would proted them : at other times
•their note is a kind of foft whjftle, which is often imitated in or-
*cter to decoy them within reach of the gun. They fit in January,
9 Aril. ZmI.
r and
and in March the young are feen running about. They lay many
eggs; fometimes thefe are hatched under Hens, in which cafe
they are, while young, familiar, though when grown up exceedingly
quarrelfome with other Ducks: as they have been
known to breed of themfelves when kept to maturity, it is a
thing much to be wiihed for, that thefe birds might be doirief-
ticated, as their flelh is moft excellent, efpecially fuch as are
brought up tame. They appear upon the coafts of Hudfon’s Bay
in May, as foon as the thaws come on, chiefly in pairs : lay
there only from fix to eight eggs 5 and feed on flies and worms in
the fwamps: depart in flocks in autumn. Known by the name
of Atheikimo AJheep *.
Anas glocitans, Act. Stock. vol. xl. p. 33. pi. I. * gg
Bimaculated Duck, Sr. Zool. ii. N° 287.— Artt. Zool. p. 575. BIMACULATED
D.
T E N G T H twenty inches. Bill deep lead-colour; nail black: DaicRirrioM.
irides brown : crown brown, changeable with green, ending
in a ftreak of brown at the hind part of the head, with a fmall
crefi:: between the bill and eye, and behind each ear, ferruginous
fpots, the firft round, the lafi: oblong and large : throat of
a fine deep purple : the reft of the head bright green,'continued
in ftreaks down the neck: breaft a light ferruginous brown,
fpotted with black : hind part of the neck and back dark brown,
waved with black: wing coverts alh-coloured; lower coverts
ftreaked with ruft-colour: fcapulars cinereous: quills the fame,
inclined to brown : fecondaries fine green, ending in a lhade of
* Mr. Hutchins.
V o l . I l l , 3 I black,