568 BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 
near its surface. For these they dive almost constantly, both in the 
sandy bays and amidst the tumbling surf. They seldom or never visit 
the salt marshes. They continue on our shores during the winter, and 
leave us early in May, for their breeding places in the north. Their 
skins are remarkably strong, and their flesh coarse, tasting of fish. 
They are shy birds, not easily approached, and are common in winter 
along the whole coast, from the River St. Lawrence to Florida. 
The length of this species is twenty inches; extent, thirty-two 
inches ; the bill is yellowish red, elevated at the base, and marked on 
the side of the upper mandible with a large, square patch of black, 
preteded by another space of a pearl color; the part of the bill thus 
marked swells, or projects, considerably from the common surface ; 
the nostrils are large and pervious; the sides of the bill, broadly ser- 
rated, or toothed; both mandibles are furnished with a nail at the 
extremity ; irides, white, or very pale cream; whole plumage, a shin- 
ing black, marked on the crown and hind head with two triangular 
spaces ‘of pure white; the plumage on both these. spots is shorter 
and thinner than the rest; legs and feet, blood red; membrane ot 
the webbed feet, black; the primary quills are of a deep dusky brown. 
On dissection, the gullet was found to be gradually enlarged to the 
gizzard, which was altogether filled with broken shell fish. There 
was a singular hard expansion at the commencement of the windpipe, 
and another much larger, abcut three quarters of an inch above where 
it separates into the two lobes of the lungs; this last was larger than 
a Spanish hazel nut, flat on one side, and convex on the other. The 
protuberance on each side of the bill communicated with the nostril, 
and was hollow. All these were probably intended to contain sup- 
plies of air for the bird’s support while under water; the last may 
also protect the head from the sharp edges of the shells, 
The female is altogether of a sooty’ brown, lightest about the neck ; 
the prominences on the bill are scarcely observable, and its color 
dusky. 
This species was also found by Captain Cook, at Nootka Sound, on 
the north-west coast of America. 
BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK.— ANAS ALBEOLA.— Fie. 269, Mare; 
Fie. 270, Femare. / 
Le Sarselle de Louisiane, Briss. vi. p. 461, pl. 41, fig. 1.— Le petit Canard a 
‘osse téte, Buff. ix. p. 249.— Edwards, it. p. 100.— Catesby, i. 95.— Lath. 
yn. ill. p. 533. — A. bucephala, id. p. 121, No.21; A. rustica, id. p. 524, No. 
24, — Peale’s Museum, No. 2730; female, 2731. * * 
CLANGULA ALBEOLA.— Bots. 
Fuligula albeola, Bonap. Synop. p. oe ig Clangula albeola, North. Zool. ii. 
p. 458. 
* 
Tis pretty little species, usually known by the name of the But- 
ter-Box, or Butter-Ball, is common to the sea-shores, rivers, and lakes 
