212' NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



ward and upward from the eye, broadening and meeting its fellow on the 

 occiput; lower neck all around, most of the scapulars, wing coverts and 

 secondaries, and under parts in general white; upper parts mostly black 

 fading to grayish white on upper tail coverts. Female: Head, neck and 

 upper parts grayish brown ; spot on the ear coverts and patch in the secon- 

 daries white; under parts white tinged with grayish on breast, sides and 

 abdomen. 



Length 14-15 inches; extent 23-25; wing 6.5-7; bill 1-1.15; tarsus 

 1. 2-1.25; middle toe and claw 2.2-2.25. Female 2 inches shorter and 

 other dimensions correspondingly less. 



Field marks. The small size, fluffy head, large white head patch, and 

 strikingly black and white plumage of the drakes attract attention at once. 

 The male Hooded merganser has a large triangular white patch on the head 

 which bears a general resemblance to this species, but the lower neck is not 

 white all around, and the bill is slim instead of short and stubby as in the 

 present species. The female Butterball is a very small duck of insignificant 

 appearance, rather chunky in build, but may be distinguished from the 

 female Ruddy duck and others by the small white spot on the side of the 

 head and the white patch in the secondaries. Her head is also somewhat 

 puffy and the bill short. 



The Buflfle-head, Butterball, Spirit duck, Diedapper, and Dipper, as 

 this bird is called, is a fairly common transient visitant throughout the 

 State, and in the southern portion is likewise found throughout the winter. 

 It is common during spring and fall on the Hudson and most of the rivers, 

 lakes and ponds of western New York, being more generally distributed on 

 small bodies of water than any other of our bay ducks, especially in spring, 

 when it is often seen on mill ponds, canals and creeks. There is a noticeable 

 migratory movement early in April and the last birds have usually left 

 the State for their northern breeding grounds by the 20th of May. They 

 return again in October and those which go farther south have usually left 

 us by the 20th of November. 



This sprightly little duck is an expert diver, as several of its names 

 would signify, and, like the grebes and loons, was formerly supposed to be 

 capable of dodging a gunshot. When wounded and pursued it will propel 

 itself long distances under water using both wings and feet, and, when it 



