66 NOTES ON THE 



white; a narrow white patch on the middle wing coverts; 

 greater coverts black, tipped with white, which is continuous 

 with the white secondaries, but separated from that on the 

 middle coverts; anterior scapulars white, edged externally 

 with black; posterior ones black, with a white central streak; 

 rest of upper parts, sides behind, and tibia, black; long feath- 

 ers of the flank white, tipped and edged above with black. 



Length, 22.50; wing, 9.50; tarsus, 1.60; commissure, 1.80. 



Habitat, Northern North America. 



CHARITOXETTA ALBEOLA (L.). (153.) 



BUFFLE-HEAD. 



Occasionally, during the entire summer, individuals of this 

 species have been seen along the shores of the larger lakes 

 bordered by timber, as also along the Minnesota river in the 

 vicinity of Shakopee. Such has been my confidence that to a 

 limited extent they breed here, that I have left no opportunity 

 unimproved to discover the final proof in the finding of a 

 veritable nest. But for this testimony I must still wait, not- 

 withstanding the oft repeated assurances of several persons 

 that they have found them. In one instance my hopes had 

 been nearly realized when I found the nest to be that of the 

 Wood Duck {Aix sponsa). In another, where the species was 

 apparently well known and excellently described, proved to be 

 quite another, the nest of which was on the ground, which 

 however was so elevated that in passing to it the female 

 appeared to go into a hollow limb immediately in front of it. 

 They reach the principal portions of the State oftentimes 

 before there are lakes enough open to allow them to get to 

 their chosen food, the mussels and bmall fry. The flocks in 

 spring migration are usually small compared with those of late 

 autumn, averaging no more than ten to twenty ducks, while at 

 the later one, they often exceed five times those numbers. 

 They are incessant divers, and very fleet in their movements 

 under the water, seizing minnows like the true fish ducks, 

 which element of food becomes evident in the deterioration of 

 their flesh for the table. 



The principal northern migration of the species is over by 

 the 1st of May, flocks of three or four, and even only pairs re- 

 maining a little latei:. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill blue; head and neck anteriorly, dark colored; region in 

 front of the eye, and on the sides of the collar behind, rich 



