BIKDS FULIGIjLINAK — BUCEPHALA ALBEOLA. 



797 



continuous with the «hiii< secondaries, but sepnmteil from tlmt on the niiJillo eoverts. Anterior scapulars white, edged 

 externally with black ; the posterior ones black, with white contrni sirciik. Hcxt oT upper parts black, us nro the sides behind, 

 and including the tibia. Long feathers of the tlaiik white, tipped and edged above with black. 



Length, '.i'J. 50; wing, 9.50; tarsus, 1.58; commissure, 1.60. 



Itah. — Iceland and northern parts of America. In winter not rare on the St. Lawrence. 



This species, supposed by Mr. Audubou to be identical witli the common golden eye, is 

 readily distinguished by its much greater size and different marks. The white patch along 

 the base of the bill is triangular ; the anterior iace applied against the whole side of the bill ; 

 the posterior crescentic concave behind, and meeting tlie anterior in an acute angle running 

 high up. (The other species has the spot truly oval, and elongated longitudinally, the white 

 not reaching along to the upper corner of tlie bill.) Tlie gloss of the head is bluish violet, not 

 green. The white of the wing is divided by a black band, (the basal portion of greater coverts.) 

 This ai>pears to be owing to a less development of the white middle coverts, which do not cover 

 the basal black of tlie greater coverts, instead of reaching to the white tips. The black of the 

 lesser wing coverts overreaches more on the white of the middle one. 



The specimen described, obtained by Mr. Audubon from Mr. Gould, appears to be the one 

 upon which the species was based in the F. Bor. Americana. 



Barrow's golden eye appears to be not rare on the St. Lawrence in winter, as I have seen 

 several specimens in the Museums of Quebec and Montreal, which were supposed to be merely 

 good representatives of the common golden eye. 



List of specimens. 



' This is probably the original specimen described in F. Bor. Americana, and obtained from Mr. Gould by Mr. Audubon 



BUCEPHALA ALBEOLA, Baird 



Butter Rail ; Dipper ; Buffle Head. 



Ana> albeola, LixN. Syst. Nat. I, I'dG, 199 — Forstek, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 363. — Gmelin, I, 517. — Wilson, Am. 



Orn. VIII, 1814, 51 ; pi. Ixvii. 

 Fuliifula iClangulu) albeola, Bon. Syn. I82?, 394.— Nutt. Man II, 445. 



FulAipda albeola, AuD. Orn Biog. IV, 1838, 217 ; pi. 325.— Xb. Syn. 1839, 293.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 369; pi. 408. 

 Clangula albeola (Jenyns,) Sw. F. Bor. Amer. II, 1831, 458.— Bon. List, 1838, 1842.— Evton, Mon. Anat. 1838, 164. 

 Anas bucephala, Li.sn. Syst- Nat. I, 1766,200, (male.) — G.melin, I, .521. 

 Anat rwUica, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 201. (Female.) 

 Spirit duck ; Buffalo head ; Vulgo. 



Sp. Ch. — Male. Bill blue. Head and neck anteriorly dark colored ; the region in front of the eye and on the sides of the 

 collar behind rich green; this color shading into purplish on the np|)er and under surfaces of the head ; abroad patch on 

 each side of the head from the posterior border of the eye, and niecling its fellow on the nape, the lower neck all round, under 

 parts generally, wing coverts, (except the lesser,) and most of the secondaries, and the scapulars, white; the latter narrowly 

 edged externally with black. Rest of upper parts, except as described, black ; passiuf,' gradually on the upper tail coverts iuto 

 pale gray. Axillars and under wing coverts sooty brown, mure or less tipped with white. 



