188 THE BUFFLE-HEADED DUCK. 



abundant in Florida during winter, " fairly swarming on the 

 St. Johns and Indian rivers, gathering in such large and 

 compact flocks, especially at night, that they are called 

 Raft Ducks. In rising from the water, at such times, they 

 make a noise like thunder. The earlier American ornitholo- 

 gists were aware of a great difference in the size of different 

 Scaups in this country, and the later writers have separated 

 them into two species, on account of this disparity in size. 

 The specific name of the smaller kind is Affinis. Both kinds 

 seem to have about the same distribution on this continent. 

 They breed in British America and in Alaska, the nest being 

 "very rude, a mere excavation with a few sticks about it." 

 The nest has been found, however, on St Clair Flats, and 

 there is a rumor that this species breeds regularly in the 

 marshes along the south side of Lake Superior. Dr. Coues 

 found them breeding in large numbers along the Upper 

 Missouri and Milk River. The eggs, from 1.60 x 2.25 to 

 1.65 x 2.30, are said to be ashy-green in color, of a dark 

 tint peculiar to the species. 



THE BUFFLE-HEADED DUCK. 



Stealthily approaching the stream a little above the pond 

 a few hours later, we discover a pair of Buffle-heads (Buce- 

 phala albeola), male and female, riding most gracefully down 

 the current. Previous to seeing the male of this species on 

 the water, I could not conceive the propriety of one of its 

 common names, "Spirit Duck"; but so graceful is the 

 puffed plumage of the head and neck, and so striking is the 

 contrast of jet-black and snow-white, that on beholding the 

 male float lightly, like a beautiful apparition, on the glassy 

 surface of some pond or stream, one feels that the name is 

 really descriptive. 



Buffle-head, or Butter-ball, is some 14 inches long. The 



