48 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



Clangula albeola. 



THE BUFFLE-HEADED DUCK; BUTTER-BALL. 



Anas albeola, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, I. 1758, 124 ; ed. 12, I. 1766, 199. — Wils. Am. Orn. VIII. 1814, 



51, pi. 62, figs. 2, 3. 

 Fuligida alhcola, Bonap. Syuop. 1828, 394. — Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 445. —AuD. Orn. Biog. IV. 



1838, 217, pi. 225 ; Syiiop. 1839, 293 ; B. Am. VI. 1843, 369, pi. 408. 

 Clangula albeola, Stephens, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII. ii. 1824, 184. —Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II. 1831, 



458. — RiDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 621. — Coues, Check List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 727. 

 , Bucephala albeola, Baird, B. N. Am. 1858, 797 ; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 595. —Coues, Key, 



1872, 290 ; Check List, 1873, no. 507 ; Birds N. W. 1874, 577. 

 Anas bucephala, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, I. 1758, 125 ;.ed. 12, I. 1766, 200 ($ ). 

 Anas rustica, Linn. tt. c. 125, 201 ( 9 ). 



Hab. North America, breeding northerly ; migrating south in winter to Cuba and Mexico. 

 Sp. Char. Adult male : Head and upper half of the neck rich silky metallic green, violet- 



C. albcula. 



purple and greenish bronze, the last prevailing on the lower part of the neck, the green on the 

 anterior part of the head, the purple on the cheeks and crown ; a large patch of pure white on the 



side of the head, extending from the eye back to and 

 around the occiput ; lower half of the neck, lower parts 

 %^ generally, wing-coverts, secondaries, and outer scapulars 



pure white, the latter narrowly, and the feathers of the 

 flanks more widely, edged with black ; posterior parts 

 of the body beneath tinged with pale ash-gray ; upper 

 tail-coverts light hoary gray ; tail slate-gray, the shafts 

 black. Bill bluish plumbeous, dusky on the nail and 

 at base ; iris very dark brown ; legs and feet pinkish, 

 or filaceous, white. Total length, about 14,50 inches ; 

 extent, 24.50 ; wing, 6.75-6.90 ; culmen, 1.10-1.15 ; tar- 

 sus, 1.30 ; middle toe, 1.90-2.00. Adult female: Head, 

 neck, and upper parts generall}^ dusky grayish brown ; 

 an oblong or somewhat ovate white longitudinal patch 

 on the auricular region, and the inner secondaries (some- 

 times also the greater wing-coverts, except at ends), 

 white ; lower parts white, tinged with brownish gray 

 posteriorly, anteriorly, and laterally. Bill dusky, inclin- 

 ing to plumbeous at end and along commissure ; iris 

 ^lo-ls- very dark brown ; legs and toes dilute lilac-pink, the 



webs and joints darker. Length, about 12.50 inches ; 

 extent, 21.00 ; wing, 5.90-6.00 ; culmen, .9.5-1.00 ; tarsus, 1.15-1.20; middle toe, 1.75. 



