BIRDS — FOLIGULINAE BUCEPHALA ALBEOLA. 



797 



continuous with the white secondaries, but separated from that on the middle coverts. Anterior scapulars white, edged 

 externally with black ; the posterior ones black, with white central streak. Rest of upper parts black, as are the sides behind, 

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



Length, '22.50; wing, 9.50; tarsus, 1.58; commissure, 1.80. 



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



This species, supposed by Mr. Audubon to be identical with 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 face applied against the whole side of the bill ; 

 the posterior crescentic concave behind, and meeting the 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 the bill.) The 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 appears to be owing to a less development of the white middle coverts, which do not cover 

 the basal black of the 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 P. Bor. Americana, and obtained from Mr. Gould by Mr. Audubon 



BUCEPHALA ALBEOLA, Baird. 



Butter Ball ; Dipper ; Buffle Head. 



Anas albeola, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, I7G6, 199 — Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 383.— Gmelin, I, 517.— Wilson, Am. 



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

 FuUffula {Olangula) albeola, Bon. Syn. 182S, 394.— Ndtt. Man II, 445. 



Fuligula albeola, Aud. Orn Biog. IV, 1838, 217 ; pi. 325.— Ie. Syn. 1839, 293.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 3G3; pi, 408. 

 Olangula albeola (Jenynb,) Sw. F. Bor. Amer. II, 1831, 458.— Bon. List, 1838, 1842.— Eyton, Mon. Anat. 1838, 164. 

 Anas bucephala, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1706,200, (male.) — Gmklin, I, .521. 

 Anas natica, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 201. (Female.) 

 Spirit duck; Buffalo head ; Vdlgo. 



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

 collar behind rich green ; this color shading into purplish on the upper and under surfaces of the head ; a broad patch on 

 each side of the head from the posterior border of the eye, and meeting 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 ; passing gradually on the upper tail coverts into 

 pale gray. Aiillars and under wing coverts sooty brown, more or less tipped with white. 



