BIRDS OF 

 GENUS CHARITONETTA STEJNEGER. 



50. CHARITONETTA ALBEOLA (LINN.). 153. 

 Buffle-headed Duck. 



Somewhat similar to the foregoing in color, but male with the head par- 

 ticularly puffy, of varied rich iridescence, with a large white auricular patch 

 confluent with its fellow on the nape ; small ; length, 14-16 ; wing, 6-7 ; bill, 

 i, with nostrils in its basal half; female still smaller, an insignificant looking 

 duck, with head scarcely puffy, dark gray with traces of the white auricular 

 patch. 



HAB. North America ; south in winter to Cuba and Mexico. Breeds 

 from Maine northward, through the fur countries and Alaska. 



Dr. Coues (Birds N. W., 575) describes the nest of this duck as placed in 

 the hollow of a dead tree, and composed of feathers. The eggs are described 

 as varying from buff to a creamy-white or grayish-olive color. 



The Buffle-heads are common at all the shooting stations in 

 Southern Ontario in spring and fall, though owing to their small 

 size they are not much sought after. The male in 

 full spring dress is a very handsome little fellow, and, like many 

 other animals of diminutive proportions, seems to feel himself 

 as big as any of those about him. I have in my collection a 

 young male of this species of a uniform cream color, which was 

 shot in the bay a few years since. In the fall they do not 

 remain as late as the Blue-bills or Redheads, but move south at 

 the first indication of cold weather. 



GENUS CLANGULA LEACH. 

 51. CLANGULA HYEMALIS (LINN.). 154. 

 Old Squaw ; Long-tailed Duck. 



Tail of fourteen narrow pointed feathers, in the male in summer the cen- 

 tral ones very slender and much elongated, nearly or quite equalling the wing , 

 nail of bill occupying the whole tip ; seasonal changes remarkable. Male in 

 summer with the back and the long narrowly lanceolate scapulars varied with 

 reddish-brown, wanting in winter, when this color is exchanged for pearly- 

 gray or white ; general color blackish or very dark brown, below from the 

 breast abruptly white ; no white on the wing ; sides of head plumbeous-gray, 

 in winter the head, neck, and body anteriorly white, but the gray cheek-patch, 

 persistent, and a large dark patch below this ; bill at all seasons black, broadly 



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