84 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



tribution, breeding only (?) in high latitudes, and penetrating but a 

 limited distance south in winter. Its claim to a place in the present 

 connection rests upon its occurrence in the Rooky Mountains as far 

 south as Utah, where it was procured by Mr. H. W. Henshaw ; on 

 the eastern coast it occurs as far south in winter as New York." 



Mr. Edwin Carter was the first to find the nest and eggs of this 

 species. He met with them in the mountains of Colorado in 1876. 



Dr. Bell mentions its occurrence at Hudson's Bay, and it has been 

 obtained in Manitoba, but only as a rare straggler. 



Genus CHARITONETTA Stejxeger. 

 CHARITONETTA ALBEOLA (Linx.). 



53. Buffle-headed Duck. (153) 



Somewhat similar to the clangula americaiia in color, but male with the head 

 particularly puffy, of varied rich iridescence, with a large white auricular patch 

 confluent with its fellow on the nape ; small. Length, 14-16; wing, 6-7; bill, 1, 

 with nostrils in its basal half. Femah : — Still smaller, an insignificant looking 

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

 patch. 



Hab. — North America, soutli in winter to Cuba and Mexico. Breeds from 

 Maine northward, through the fur countries and Alaska. 



Dr. Coues (Birds N.-W., 575) describes the nest of tliis duck placed in the 

 hollow of a dead tree, and composed of feathers. 



The eggs, from six to fourteen in number, are described as varying from buff 

 to a creamy -white or grayish-olive color. 



The Buffle-heads are common at all the shooting stations in South- 

 ern Ontario in spring and fall, but owing to their small size they are 

 not much sought after. The male in full spring dress is a very hand- 

 some little fellow, and, like many other animals of diminutive propor- 

 tions, seems to feel himself as big as any of those about him. I have 

 in my collection a young male of this species of a uniform cream 

 color, which was shot in Hamilton Bay a few years ago. 



Mr. Saunders mentions that a few pairs breed at St. Clair Flats. 

 Throughout the North-West their distribution seems to be somewhat 

 irregular. Macoun says of them ; "Abundant in the ponds in the 

 autumn, not seen in the prairie lejjions." While Thompson, writini;- 

 from Carberry, says : " Common summer resident, breeding also at 

 west slope of Duck Mountain, Portage la Prairie." 



From Alaska, the reports are similar. Nelson sa3's : " Bischoff 

 found it at Sitka, and at the Yukon mouth Dall notes them as 



