100 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. [Voir. 



tions will enable any person to identify all his specimens, with possibly 

 the excei)tion of some immature 5 specimens ; but as the two species 

 are seen in Dakota, instances of this will be very rare indeed. 



This Duck arrives about April 15, and I think it probable that a very 

 few remain in this vicinity and breed, but the greater majority continue 

 their northern flight with little more than a passing notice of this region 

 at this season; returns in the early part of September and gradually 

 increases in numbers until the middle of October; takes its final de- 

 parture for the year about October 30. 



The specimen measures as follows : 



No. 676, 2 , 31.00 X 20.75; wing 9.10; tail 3.00. 



Btjcephala CLANauLA, (L.) Coues. — Golden-eye. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



$ with, the head and npper neck glossy dark green, and a white oral or rounded 

 spot between the hill and eye, not touching the base of the bill throughout ; white 

 continuous on outer surface of wing ; bill very high at base, black with pale or yellow 

 end, and nostrils in anterior half; feet orange ; webs dusky ; eyes yellow ; head uni- 

 formly puffy; lower neck all around, under parts including sides, most of the shoul- 

 ders, wing-coverts, and middle quills white; lining of wings and armpits dark; most 

 of upper ijarts black; no waving on back and sides. $ head less puffy, snuffy brown, 

 no white patch in front of eye, and less white on the wings. Length 16-19; wing 8. 



Arrives about April 15 and soon passes on to the north. About Oc- 

 tober 1 returns in considerable numbers, and remains until October 30. 



BuCEPHALA ISLANDICA, (Om.) Bd. — BavTow^s Golden-eye. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



Very similar to the last species; gloss of head purplish and violet, the spot between 

 the bill and eye larger, triangular or crescentic, applied against the whole side of the 

 bill at base ; white on surface of wing divided by a dark bar : rather larger than the 

 last; 19-22; wing 9-10; feathers at 'back of head lengthened into a slight crest; bill 

 shorter. $ probably not distinguishable with, certainty from that of the foregoing, 

 unless by the dark bar on the wing. 



Is seen here only during the spring migrations. Arrives about April 

 15 and remains for a few days ; several specimens have been taken at 

 this time. Does not appear to pass this region during the fall. 



The specimen measures as follows : 



No. 652, $ , 27.50 X 17.00. 



BuCEPHALA ALBEOLA, (L.) Bd. — Buffle-head Buclc. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



$ with the head j)articularly puffy, of varied rich iridescence, with a large white 

 ear-patch, confluent with its fellow on the nape : small, 14-16 ; wing 7-8 ; bill 1, with 

 nostrils in basal half. 2 still smaller, an insignificant-looking Duck, with head scarcely 

 puffy, dark gray, with traces of the white ear-patch. 



Arrives April 9 and in a few days departs; returns about the middle 

 of September to remain until October 22. During the fall is quite com- 

 mon, but is not seen in any large numbers in the spring. 



The specimen measures as follows : 



No. 687, ^ , 23.25 X 14.50 ; wing 7.00. 



