114 SEA DUCKS. 



A more northern species than the preceding, which it resembles in 

 habits. 



153. Charitonetta albeola (ijra».). Bufflehead; Butteb-ball; 

 Spibit Dtiok. Ai. $ . — A broad white band passes around the back of the 

 head from eye to eye; rest of the head, upper neck, and throat beautifully 

 glossed with purple, greenish, and bluish ; lower neck all around, breast, belly, 

 wing-ooverts, speculum, and outer scapulars white; back black; upper tail- 

 coverts and tail ashy-grayish. Ad. 9 . — A white patch on either side of the 

 head, throat, and entire upper parts fuscous-brown ; speculum, breast, and 

 belly white. L., 14-75 ; W., 6-50; Tar., 1-25 ; B., 1-05. 



Range. — North America; breeds from Iowa and Maine northward; win- 

 ters from near the southern limit of its breeding range to the West Indies and 

 Mexico. 



Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, common T. V. 

 and W. v., Oct. 1 to Apl. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V. Cambridge, 

 common in Oct. and Nov. 



Nest., in a stump or hollow tree. Eggs, six to twelve, dull light bull', 

 1-98 X 1-46 (Eidgw.). 



This small Duck has won deserved distinction through its powers 

 as a diver. Like the Grebes, it " dives at the flash," though this well- 

 worn expression has lost half its meaning since flintlocks and percus- 

 sion caps have become things of the past. The Bufflehead feeds to 

 some extent on small fish, which it pursues and catches under water. 



154> Clangula byemalis (Linn.). Old Squaw; Old Wife; South 

 SouTHEBLT. Ad, 6 in wivfer.. — Sides of the front of the head washed with 

 grayish brown ; sides of the back of the head and sides of the upper neck 

 black, more or less margined with ochraceous ; rest of the head, neck all 

 around, upper back, scapulars, and lower belly white ; back, breast, and 

 upper belly black ; tail pointed, the middle feathers very long and narrow ; 

 band across the end of the bill yellowish orange. Ad. 6 in suTnmer. — Sides 

 of the front of the head white ; crest of the head, neck, throat, breast, and 

 upper belly black ; back and scapulars black, the latter margined with dark 

 buffy ochraceous ; lower, belly white ; tail and bill as in the preoeSing. 9 in 

 winter. — Upper parts black or fuscous; scapulars and upper back more or 

 less margined with grayish or grayish brown ; sides of the head and neck 

 and sometimes the back of the neck white or whitish ; breast grayish ; belly 

 white ; tail pointed, but without the long feathers of the male ; under wing- 

 coverts dark. Ad. 9 in summer. — Generally similar to the above, but the 

 sides of the head and throat mostly blackish, and the feathers of the upper 

 parts more or less margined with ochraceous. L., a , 21-00, 9 , 1 6-00 ; W., 8-60 ; 

 T., 4,8-00, 9,2-50; B., 1-05. 



Semarhs. — The male Old Squaw is too distinct to he confused with any 

 other species, its long tail-feathers being its most striking character; the 

 female bears some resemblance to the female of the Harlequin Duck, but has 

 the belly pure white instead of grayish dusky. 



