WILD FOWL. 103 



THE BUFF EL-HE ADED DUCK. 



Fuligula Albeola. — Vulgo, Dipper, or Butter-Ball. 



" The Buffel-headed, or rather, as it has originally been named, 

 the Buffalo-headed Duck, from the disproportionate size of its 

 head, is fourteen inches long, and twenty-three inches in extent ; 

 the bill is short, and of a light blue, or leaden color ; the plu- 

 mage of the head and half of the neck is thick, long, and velvety, 

 projecting greatly over the lower part of the neck ; this plumage 

 on the forehead and nape is rich glossy green, changing into a 

 shining purple on the crown and sides of the neck ; from the 

 eyes backward passes a broad band of pure white ; iris of the 

 eye dark ; back, wings, and part of the scapulars, black ; rest 

 of the scapulars, lateral band along the wing, and whole breast, 

 snowy white ; belly, vent, and tail coverts, dusky-white ; tail 

 pointed, and of a hoary color. 



" The female is considerably less than the male, and entirely 

 destitute of the tumid plumage of the head ; the head, neck, and 

 upper parts of the body and wings are sooty black, darkest on 

 the crown ; side of the head marked with a small, oblong spot 

 of white ; bill dusky ; lower part of the neck ash, tipped with 

 white ; belly dull white ; vent cinereous ; outer edges of six of 

 the secondaries and their incumbent coverts white, except the 

 tips of the latter, which are black ; legs and feet a livid blue ; 

 tail hoary brown ; length of the intestines three feet six inches ; 

 stomach filled with small shell-fish. This is the Spirit Duck of 

 Pennant, so called from its dexterity in diving, (^Arctic Zoology, 

 No. 487,) likewise the Little Brown Duck of Catesby, [Natural 

 History of Carolina, pi. 98.) 



" This species is said to come into Hudson's Bay, about Se- 

 vern River, in June, and make their nests in trees in the woods 

 near ponds. The young males, during the first year, are almost 

 exactly like the females in color." — Wilson's American Orni- 

 thology. 



In the " Birds of Long Island," it is mentioned thus — farther 



