BUFFLE-HEAD DUCK—BUTTER BALL. LOG 
CHAPTER XXI. 
BUFFLE-HEAD DUCK—BUTTER BALL. 
(Puligula Alveola.) 
Adult Male.—Bill much shorter than the head, com- 
paratively narrow, deeper than broad at the base, 
gradually depressed at the end, which is rounded. 
Head rather large, compressed; eyes of moderate 
size ; neck, short and thick : body compact, depressed ; 
feet very short, placed far back; tarsus very short, 
compressed. 
Plumage, dense, soft and blended ; feathers on the 
fore part of the head very small and rounded ; on the 
upper and hind parts, linear and elongated, as they also 
are on the lateral and hind parts of the upper neck, so 
that when raised, they give the head an extremely 
tumid appearance, which is more marked that the 
feathers of the neck immediately beneath are short. 
Wings, very small, decurved, pointed, and tail short, 
graduated, of sixteen feathers. Bill, light grayish blue : 
iris, hazel; feet, very pale flesh color: claws, brownish 
black ; fore part of the head a deep rich green ; upper 
part rich bluish purple, of which color also are the 
elongated feathers on the fore part and sides of the neck, 
the hind part of the latter deep green, a broad band of 
pute white from one cheek to the other over the oc- 
ciput; the colored part of the head and neck are re- 
