290 ANATIDiE, DUCKS. GEN. 262. 



reflections ; of back, mixed silvery-gray and black in about equal amount, the 

 dark waved lines unbroken. N. Am., abundant. Wils., viii, 110, pi. 70, f. 6 ; 

 NuTT., ii, 434 ; Aud., vi, 311, pi. 396 ; Bd., 793. feeina var. Americana. 

 ,^-,'-' Canvas-back. Bill blackish, high at the base and narrow throughout, not 

 ^ shorter than head (2^, or more), the nostrils at its middle; head much 

 obscured with dusky ; black waved lines of the back sparse and much broken 

 up into dots, the whitish thus predominating. N. Am., especially abundant 

 along the middle Atlantic Coast in winter, where from feeding on the wild 

 celery ( Vallisneria) its flesh acquires a peculiar flavor, though not particularly 

 excellent under other circumstances. Wils., viii, 103, pi. 70, f. 5 ; Nutt., 

 ii, 430; Aud., vii, 299, pi. 395 ; Bd. 794 vallisneria. 



262. Genus BUCEPHALA Baird. 



■*** <? with the head pufiy, dark colored, h-idescent, with large white patches ; 

 lower neck all around, under parts, including sides, most of the scapulars, wing 

 coverts and secondaries, white ; lining of wings and axillars dark ; most of upper 

 parts black ; no waving on back and sides. ? with the head less puffy, brown or 

 dark gray, with traces of the white patches, or not ; somewhat less white on the 

 wings ; fore breast and sides with gray, the feathers paler-edged. Bill much shorter 

 jthan head, very high at the base, tapering, with median nostrils. 

 t) '' Golden-eye. Garrot. $ with the head and upper neck glossy dark green, 



' and a white oval or rounded loral spot, not touching the base of the bill 

 throughout ; white continuous on outer surfiice of wing ; bill black with pale 

 or yellow end, with nostrils iu anterior half; feet orange ; webs dusky ; eyes 

 yellow ; head uniformly j)uffy ; $ with head snuAj'-browu, and no white 

 patch in front of the eye. Length 16-19; wing 8-9. N. Am., abundant. 

 Our bird does not appear to differ iu the least from the European. Wils., 

 viii, 62, pi. 67, f. 6; Nutt., ii, 441; Aud., vi, 362, pi. 406 (describes the 

 next species as summer plumage) ; Bd., 796 clangula. 



, Q u' Barrow's Golden-eye. Hocky Mountain Garrot. Very similar ; gloss of 

 head jjurplish and violet ; the loral spot 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 ; 

 occipital feathers lengthening into a slight crest ; bill shorter ; ? probably 

 not distinguishable with certainty from that of the foregoing, unless by the 

 dark bar on the wing. Arctic America to the N. States in winter, not common. 

 Also N. Europe. It is doubtfully distinct from the last, with which, however, 

 I am not prepared to unite it. Sw. and Rich., F. B.-A. 456, pi. 70 ; Nutt., 

 ii, 444 ; Bd., 796 ; Elliot, pi. 46, and Aim. Lye. N. Y. 1862. . islandica. 

 Buffle-headed Duck. Butter-ball. Spirit Duck. Dipper. $ with the 

 head particularly puffy, of varied rich iridescence, with a large white auric- 

 ular patch confluent with its fellow on the nape ; small ; 14-16 ; wing 6-7 ; 

 bill 1, with nostrils in basal half; ? still smaller, an insiguificant looking 

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

 patch. N. Am., abundant. Wils., viii, 51, pi. 67, f. 2, 3 ; Nutt., ii, 445 ; 

 Aud., vi, 369, pi. 408; Bd., 797. albeola. 



A-D 



