178 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



Family ANATID/E. Genus Clangula. 



Sub-family FULIGULIN^. 



BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 



Clangula albeola {Li?incsus). 



(British : Very rare abnormal winter migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, May and June. 



Breeding area : Northern Nearctic region. The 

 Buffel-headed Duck breeds in the Arctic regions of 

 North America up to the limits of forest growth, and 

 as far south as the northern states of Maine and 

 Wisconsin. 



Breeding habits : The Buffel-headed Duck is a 

 migratory species, and returns to its northern breeding 

 grounds as soon as the ice breaks up and it can obtain 

 food. The favourite breeding haunts of this pretty 

 Duck are wooded areas in which plenty of lakes and 

 pools occur. Although gregarious during the winter 

 it appears to live in scattered pairs during the nesting 

 season, and the male seems to keep closer companion- 

 ship with the female than is usual in this class of birds. 

 The nest is made in a hollow tree, from fifteen to twenty 

 feet above the ground, either a hole in a branch or in 

 the trunk being selected. It would appear, however, 

 that in districts where suitable trees are scarce a hole in 

 a bank will be used. Mr. Raine {op. cit.^ p. 62) gives a 

 very interesting account of his finding a nest of this 

 Duck containing twelve eggs in a gopher hole (the 

 gopher is a little burrowing animal), made in the bank 

 of a lake overgrown with bushes and honeycombed with 

 the burrows of this quadruped. The duck flew from the 

 hole and alighted on the adjoining lake, where it was 

 joined by the drake. The eggs were laid on a bed of 



