BIRDS OF PENNSYL VANIA. 45 



blackish, with slight greenish gloss on sides and the white loral patches are mottled 

 with dusky) ; bill (dried skin) black ; legs yellowish ; iris orange-yellow ; lower 

 neck under plumage generally, and middle and greater wing coverts, sides, inner 

 secondaries, some of the scapular and tertial feathers white ; back, primaries inner 

 scapulars and tertial s black. Female has snuff-brown head, and no white loral 

 spots usually less white on wings. Length about 20 inches ; extent about 31 

 inches. 



Habitat. North America, breeding from Maine and the British Provinces north- 

 ward ; in winter south to Cuba. 



This handsome bird, called, usually by sportsmen, Whistler, from the 

 fact that when flying- its wings make a loud whistling sound, is a regu- 

 lar and rather common spring and fall migrant, and in winter it is often 

 seen about our large rivers and on Lake Erie. The Golden-eye, gener- 

 ally shy and very difficult to approach, is an expert diver, and a par- 

 ticularly rapid flyer. Feeding as it does, principally, on fish, cray-fish, 

 bivalves, etc., its flesh is usually fishy and very unpalatable. 



GENUS CHARITONETTA STEJNEGER. 

 Charitonetta albeola (LiNN.). 



Buflle-head. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 60). 



Bill much shorter than head. Feathers of hind head and upper part of short neck 

 long and puffy (especially in male). 



Male. Broad white patch on side of head back of eyes meeting its fellow behind ; 

 rest of head and upper neck dark, with beautiful iridescent purple, green and 

 violet hues ; ring around lower part of neck, sides and under plumage (lower part 

 of abdomen is grayish) wing coverts, except the lesser and many of the second- 

 aries, white, and back black ; upper tail coverts grayish-white ; upper surface of 

 primaries glossy-black ; lining of wings brownish and white ; bill (dried skin) dull 

 blue, legs brownish-yellow ; eyes brown. Length about 15 inches ; extent about 24 

 inches. Female is smaller than male and feathers of sides and back of head shorter, 

 and has head, neck and upper parts generally dark grayish-brown, with slight trace 

 of white patches on sides of head, back of, but not reaching to eyes. 



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

 Maine northward ; through the fur countries and Alaska. 



This beautiful little duck, commonly called Butter-ball, is frequently 

 met with during migrations about our rivers and mill-ponds. The 

 species is, however, much more common in autumn than during the 

 winter and spring. The Buflle-head, like the Grebe and Loon, will dive 

 at the flash of a gun and swim, it is said, under the water with only its 

 bill above the surface. Audubon says : " Their food is much varied, 

 according to situation. On the sea-coast, or in estauries, they dive after 

 shrimps, small fry and bivalve shells, and in fresh water they feed on 

 small cray-fish, leeches and snails, and even grasses." In the stomachs 

 of five of these ducks, which I have examined, were found small shells 

 and coleopterous insects. 



