WATER BIRDS. 101 
of neck all round; gray of chest broader and usually deeper, and white collar narrower 
than in the same sex of clangula.” 
Length of male 21 to 23 inches; wing 9 to 9.40; bill from tip to frontal angle 1.65 to 
1.80; depth at base .95 to 1.10. 
eres Wing 8.25 to 8.75; bill from tip to frontal angle 1.40 to 1.70; depth at base 
-80 to .95. 
50. Bufflehead. Charitonetta albeola (Linn.). (153) 
Synonyms: Butter-ball, Butter Duck, Spirit Duck, Dipper.—Anas albeola, Linn., 
1758.—Fuligula albeola, Bp., 1828, Nutt., 1834, Aud., 1838.—Clangula albeola, Steph., 
1824, and authors generally —Bucephala albeola, Baird, 1858, and some others. 
Figure 26. 
The small size, general black and white plumage, puffed head of velvet 
black with purple and green reflections, and pure white cheeks and occiput 
make the male unmistakable; the female is smaller and browner, lacking 
entirely the clear or metallic black and snowy white of the male, except 
that there is a broad white wing-bar. 
Distribution.—North America; south in winter to Cuba’ and Mexico. 
Breeds from Maine and Montana northward through the Fur Countries 
and Alaska. 
This well known and beautiful little duck is an abundant migrant through- 
out the state, some often remain all winter in favorable places, and it is pos- 
sible that a few nest within our limits. 
In 1893 Dr. R. H. Wolcott wrote ‘Com- 
mon every winter on the rapids at 
Grand Rapids, fished for by factory 
hands along the banks with hook and 
line.” Swales (Birds of 8. E. Mich., 
1904) says ‘In fall I have seen it as 
early as September 6, but it is October 
before the main body arrives. It re- 
mains until early December if not later. 
Generally reappears in the latter part of 
of March, remaining until late April; oc- 
casional birds remain well into May.” 
Purdy, at Plymouth, says ‘One of the Fig. 25. Bufflehead—Male. 
most common ducks during migration, a Da Taited Ctates) Couehions Minin ee) 
arriving from April 1 to 15, depending 
on weather.” Saunders mentions that a few pairs breed at St. Clair 
Flats (Mcllwraith’s Birds of Ontario, 1894, p. 84). 
The species is similar in its habits to the Whistler, being restless, in- 
quisitive but shy, but so abundant that it is killed in large numbers. In 
fall and winter it is usually extremely fat, and probably it is this fact which 
has given it the names Butter-ball and Butter Duck. 
It is never seen in large flocks, and does not fly in the “ wedge formation” 
used by so many ducks; as Lynds Jones remarks it ‘flies in bunches, not 
flocks.”” Like the Whistler it nests in hollow trees and its eggs are dull 
light buff, averaging 1.98 by 1.46 inches. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Adult male: Head and neck changeable metallic blue-green-purple except for a large 
wedge-shaped patch of pure white on each side of the head which has its apex below the 
