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O R D. III. G E N. XI. DUCK. S P E. VIII. WIDGEON. PI. 252. Anas Penelope. Lin. Syjl. I. p. 202. Le Canard fiffleur. Brif. Orn, VI. p. 391. The male widgeon weighs near a pound and half. The bill is an inch and a half long, of a bluifh lead colour, the nail and tip black: the upper mandi ble arched, and narrow, as in the goofe, by which this fpecies, in every ftate of growth, may readily be diftinguilhed from the reft of the genus: the eye is dark browns the head, a pale buff colour, fpotted with dull black, and almoft white near the bill: neck, and throat, purple red, with blackifh brown mark ings: breaft, purplilh: back, and upper parts, white, with minute waving lines of black, fo as to produce the appearance of a beautiful grey: Ihoulder of the wing, white: Ids wing coverts, Ihining green, edged with black : greater coverts, dark green, edged with white: quills, dulky: belly, white: tail, black: legs, greenifh lead colour. The female is brown on the head, neck, and back: belly, white: on the wings a patch of green. This fpecies, like the reft of the duck genus, varies much in plumage as it approaches the adult ftate. It is common with us in the winter feafon, frequenting the feaftiores, as well as frelh waters. A few breed with us in unfrequented marlhes, but the greater part migrate from Sweden and other northern parts of Europe.
