A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman.

George Montagu

Date:: 1866

Credit: A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$•n-lietlier nny of the eggs had the appear- j anee of prolificacy, we dare not determine hypothetically the laws hy which these extra-natural heings are governed. Wo do not recollect a single instance on record where hybrid birds have bred ; the Gold- finch and Canary-bird frequently produce a spurious bree(f, but no instance occurs of the hybrid birds constituting a species by their union. It has generally been considered that mules of any kind are in- capabl? of procreation ; if, liowever, there is any dependence on public records, ap- parently well attested, there have been two instances of the offspring between the liOrse and the ass having produced young, the one in Scotland, the other in the West Indies. It may, however, be presumed that although in these hybrid animals the parts of generation are sometimes perfect, the excitability to propagation is extremely torpid. Domestication and confinement is undoubtedly the cause of such unnatural connection, but it would be highly inte- resting to discover how far it might be carried. For the only instance of a hybiid bird having laid eggs, we are indebted to Lord Stanley, and we take this opportu- nity to publicly acknowledge our obliga- tions to his Lordship for many interesting observations from personal experience con- cerning many other birds; and as he is an experimental ornithologist, we doubt not but that by the love of Science, and the extensive practical means witli which his Lordship is furnished, the public will considei’ahly benefit by his experiments. It is a remarkable circumstance that in the pond where the male Wigeon pau-ed with the female Pintail, there were female Wigeons. The Wigeons in our aquatic menagerie continue in pairs almost the whole year. They are extremely garra- lous and pugnacious; scolding and fight- ing (especially with birds of their own species) occupy much of their time. Their call-note is an extremely clear and shrill whistle. Lord Stanley lias had a male Wigeon pair with a dun-coloured variety of the Common Duck, the eggs of which were prolific. The Wigeon appears to be the most plentiful species of Duck that is taken in our decoys; more ai'o caught in the decoys of Somersetshire and Devon- shire. than Duck, Teal, and all other wild- fowl collectively, as we arc assured by an old and experienced decoy-man. The same person asserts that Wigeon and Teal rarely assemble together in the pool; nor frequently with Duck ; but when Ducks come to the pool, Teal frequently follow. 'J'he male Wigeon, like the Pintail and Shoveler, makes a double moulting in tho course of a few months. In the month of July he loses the varied colours, and becomes dark ferruginous on tho back, sca- pulars, and sides, but not so much like the female as tho male Pintail. Baillon makes a remark on the change of plumage of this species, and says the same changes take place in the Pintail, the Gadwall, and the Shoveler. [Wigeon, American. — Yarrell, iii. 203. Anas Americana, Wilson, Amer. Ornith. iii. 19S of Jameson’s Edition; Audubon, Or- nith. Biog. iv. 337; Yarrell, iii. 203.—“ The beak is black; the irides hazel; behind the eye a green streak passing backward ; forehead and top of the head dull white ; neck, cheeks, and occiput pale brownish white, freckled with black, the occipital feathers a little elongated ; upper part of the'back, the scapulars, and part of the wing-coverts reddish brown, each feather crossed with minute zigzag blackish lines, some of the elongated scapulars falling over the wing-coverts; lower part of the back hair-brown ; upj>er taU-coverts brown, ban'cd with pale brown ; tail-feathers uni- form brown, slightly elongated aud pointed; wing-coverts white, slightly varied with brown; the greater coverts tipped with black ; the primaries uniform brown ; the outer webs of the secondaries forming a green speculum, tipped udth black; outer webs of the tertials blackish brown, inner web hair-brown; lower part of the neck in front reddish brown, extending along un- der the wing to the fianks, which are barred with dark hnes ; breast, belly, and vent white; under tail-coverts brownish black; legs, toes and their membranes dark brown. The whole length is nine- teen inches. From the carpal joint to the end of the wing ten inches; the second quill-feather the longest in the wing, hut the first almost ns long. Wilson says, ‘ The female has the whole head and neck yellowish white, thickly speckled with black; very little rufous on the breast ; the back is dark brown. The young males, as usual, very much like the females during the first season, and do not receive their full plumage until the second year. They are also subject to a regular change every spring and autumn.’”—Yarrell, iii. 206. Mr. Yarrell informs us that a specimen of this American bird was bought in the Lon- don market in the winter of 1H37—8, and ]\lr. 'I'liompson records that another was shot in Strangford Lough, in February, 1844. It has very small claim to be re- garded as even a visitor in England.] Wigeon, Black.—See Duck, Tufted. Wigeon, Blackheaded.—See Duck, Scaup. Wigeon, Cur.—See Pochard.$