BUFFLE-HEAD DUCK. 1 83 



ming about for a short time will fly off again. The 

 dipper flies very rapidly, quite equaling in this respect 

 the black-head, which is known for its speed on the 

 wing. Usually it alights without checking itself at all 

 and strikes the water with a splash, sliding along the 

 surface for some little distance. Mr. Elliot's remarks 

 on the diving of this species are well worth repeating. 

 He says : "As a diver the butter-ball takes rank among 

 the most expert of our ducks, disappearing so quickly, 

 and apparently with so little exertion, that it is almost 

 impossible to shoot it when sitting on the water. When 

 alarmed, with a sudden flip up of its tail and a scatter- 

 ing of a few drops of water, it vanishes beneath the sur- 

 face, appearing almost immediately at no great distance 

 from where it went under, and either dives again at 

 once or takes wing, which it does easily and without 

 any fuss. Sometimes half a dozen of these birds will 

 gather together in a sheltered piece of water and be 

 very busy feeding. A few will dive with a sudden jerk, 

 as if drawn beneath the surface by an invisible string, 

 and the others will quietly swim about as if on the 

 watch. The first that went under water having re- 

 turned to the surface, the others dive, and so it goes on 

 for a long time. Occasionally all will disappear, and 

 then the first one to rise seems much disconcerted at not 

 finding any one on watch and acts as if he were saying 

 to himself that if he 'had only known their unprotected 

 state, he would never have gone under.' " 



Mr. Elliot states also that the flesh of this duck is very 

 palatable and is excellent when broiled. In this species, 



