CHAPTER XVI.

AMERICAN WIDGEON—“ BALD PATE."

(Anas Americana.)

Adult Male.-Bill nearly as long as the head, deeper than broad at the base, depressed towards the end, the sides nearly parallel, the tip rounded.

Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long, slender. Body elongated and slightly depressed. Feet very short; tibia bare for about a quarter of an inch; tarsus very short, compressed.

Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the head and upper neck oblong, small; those along the crown and occiput longer; of the lower parts ovate, glossy with the extremities of the filaments stiffish. Wings rather long, little curved, narrow, pointed. Tail short, rounded and pointed, of sixteen feathers, of which the middle pair are more pointed, and project considerably.

Bill light grayish blue, with the extremity including the ungines and a portion of the margin black. Iris, hazel. Feet light bluish gray, the webs darker, the claws dusky; the upper part of the head is white, more or less mottled with dusky on its sides; the loral space and cheeks reddish white, dotted with greenish black; a broad band from the eye to behind the occiput deep green. The lower part of the hind neck, the scapulars and the fore part of the back are minutely transversely

undulated with brownish black and light brownish red; the hind part similarly undulated with blackish brown and grayish white. The smaller wing coverts are brownish gray; the primary quills and coverts dark grayish brown; the secondary coverts white, tipped with black. The speculum is dusk-green anteriorly, bounded by the black tips of the secondary coverts. The tail feathers are light brownish gray. The throat is brownish black; the lower part of the neck in front, and the fore part of the breast light brownish red; the breast, belly, and sides of the rump white; the sides of the body finely undulated with white and dusky; the rump beneath and the lower tail coverts black.

Length to the end of the tail, twenty and a half inches; extent of wings, thirty-four and a half; weight, 1 pound 14 ounces.

Adult Female. The female is considerably smaller. The bill, feet and iris are colored as in the male. The head and upper part of the neck all around are white or reddish-white, longitudinally streaked with brownish-black. The top of the head transversely barred; the lower part of the neck in front and behind, the fore part of the back, and the scapulars are blackish-brown; the feathers broadly margined with brownish-red, and barred with the same; the bars on the neck narrow; the hind part of the back dusky; the upper tail coverts barred with white. The wings are grayish brown ; the secondary coverts tipped with white; the secondary quills are brownish black; the inner, grayish brown, all margined with white. All the lower parts are white, excepting the feathers of the sides and under the tail which are broadly barred with dusky and light reddish brown.

Length to end of tail, 18 inches; extent of wings, 30 inches; weight, 1 pound 5 ounces.

The habits and peculiarities of the widgeon are similar to those of the pin-tail and mallard, although they do not frequent the timber as the mallards do, but prefer remaining out in the open field and prairies. When spring rains overflow low lands, spreading on the surface of the water the accumulations of winter, then one can expect to find the widgeon in large numbers, associating with pin-tails and mallards. They are an exceedingly shy duck to shoot on the water, either from scull or paddle boat; but when coaxed down by imitating their cries, they come down from great heights with graceful abandon, and perfectly unsuspicious of danger, drop softly in among the wooden decoys. They are an easy bird to kill when hit, and they seem to lack that vitality so noticeable in several other species of ducks. It isn't necessary to have decoys of the same kind, mallards doing almost equally as well. They are always in good condition for the table, and are most excellent eating.

No. 6 shot is the best size to use.

CHAPTER XVII.

GADWALL DUCK-GRAY DUCK.

(Anas Streperus.)

Adult Male.-Bill nearly as long as the head, deeper than broad at the base, depressed toward the end, the sides parallel, the tip rounded. Head, of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck, rather long and slender. Body elongated, slightly depressed. Feet, very short; tibia bare for about a quarter of an inch; tarsus, very short, compressed; plumage dense, soft, blended feathers of the head short, of the occiput and nape little elongated; of the lower parts glossy, with the extremities of the filaments stiffish. Wings, rather long, a little curved, pointed. Tail, short, rounded, of sixteen strong pointed feathers, of which the middle pair project considerably.

Bill, bluish black; iris, reddish hazel; feet, dull orange yellow; claws brownish black; webs dusky; head, light yellowish red; the upper part of nape much darker and barred with dusky, the rest dotted with the same. The lower part of the neck, the sides of the body, the fore part of the back, and the outer scapula, undulated with dusky and yellowish white; the bands much larger and semi-circular on the fore part of the neck and breast; the latter white, the abdomen faintly and minutely undulated with brownish