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FULIGULA ALBEOLA— LINN. 



BUFFEL HEADED DUCK. 



Buffel-headed Duck, Anas albeola, Wils. Amer. Orn. 



Fuligula albeola, Bonap. Syn. 



Clangula albeola, Spirit Duck, Sw. &, Rich. 



Spirit Duck, Nutt. Man. 



Buflel-headed Duck, Fuligula albeola, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Bill blue, from the corner of the mouth to the 

 end about one inch and a half, the sides rounded, narrowed toward 

 the point — head thickly crested, a patch behind the eye and a band 

 on the wings white. Adult male with the plumage of the head and 

 neck thick and long ; forehead, loral space and hind neck rich glos- 

 sy green, changing into purple on the crown and sides of the head ; 

 from the eye backwards over the head a triangular patch of white j 

 the entire breast and sides of the body pure white ; abdomen dusky 

 white; tail rounded, grayish-brown ; upper tail-coverts lighter ; un- 

 der tail-coverts soiled white ; back and wings black, with a patch of 

 white on the latter. Female, upper plumage sooty-brown, with a 

 band of white on the sides of the head ; outer webs of a few of the 

 secondaries same color; lower part of the fore-neck ash color ; breast 

 and abdomen soiled white; tail-feathers rather darker than those of 

 the male. Male fourteen and a half inches long, wing six inches 

 and three-fourths. Female rather smaller. 



This beautifully variegated little Duck receives its name from the 

 disproportionate size of its head to the body. From its constant di- 

 ving, it is called by our gunners " Dipper." I will here remark, 

 that the true American Dipper, (Cinclus Americanus,) has only been 

 found at the Columbia River. The marked difference in the plu- 

 mage of the male and female Buffel-headed or " Spirit Duck," as it 

 is sometimes called, induces many to suppose that they are distinct 

 species. I have met with it in various parts of the United States ; 

 and'- indeed, during the Spring and Autumn, it is dispersed 

 throughout the Union, visiting the interior as well as the sea coast; 

 it dives so dexterously, that when sitting on the water it is very 

 difficult to kill it, even with percussion caps. It is an excellent 

 swimmer, and flies swiftly; its food consists of small fish; it 



