6io THE BUFFLE-HEAD. 



General Range. — Northern North America; south in winter to New York, 

 Illinois and Utah ; breeding from the Gulf of St. Lawrence northward and south in 

 the Rocky Mountains to Colorado; Greenland; Iceland; accidental in Europe. 



Range in Ohio. — Rare winter visitor. 



* 



THIS perpetuated accident of variation does not differ materially in 

 habit from the commoner species, except that it does not often venture so far 

 south. It is a bird of handsome appearance, and if one is so fortunate as to 

 observe it at close range, while it is seated upon the water, he gets the impres- 

 sion of a viking ship with regal prow uplifted. 



"It is reported from Sandusky Bay by Professor E. L- Moseley, and has 

 been taken twice in Lorain County, once by Mr. L. M. McCormick, and once 

 by the writer, on the Oberlin water-works reservoir. It shoiild be found in 

 the winter on the waters O'f the northern part of the state" (Jones). 



No. 300. 



BUFFLE-HEAD. 



A. O. U. No. 153. Cliaritonetta albeola (Linn.). 



Synonyms. — Buttbr-baIvI, ; Spirit Duck. 



Description. — Adult male : Feathers of head puffy, somewhat lengthened 

 along crest and nape; head and upper neck black, sooty below, with brilliant 

 violet, purple, steel-blue, and bronze-green metallic reflections; a broad white 

 space from eye to eye , around occiput ; back, inner scapulars and tertiaries- with 

 touches on coverts and some narrow bordering on the outer scapulars and up- 

 turned side- feathers glossy black ; upper tail-coverts and tail ashy gray ; remaining 

 plumage, including a broad collar around neck, white ; belly silky or washed with 

 pale gray ; bill dull bluish with dusky nail and base ; feet flesh color, with black 

 claws ; iris brown. Adult female : Head and neck mouse-brown, darker on crown, 

 lighter on throat; a dull white patch below and behind eye; speculum narrowly 

 white; reminiscences of white coverts of male in shape of two or three central 

 spots on greater coverts ; remaining plumage above, grayish dusky, below silky 

 white, shading on sides and hind-neck. Length 14.00-15.25 (355.6-387.4) ; av. 

 of six Columbus males: wing 6.67 (169.4) ; tail 2.93 (74.4) ; bill i.io (27.9) ; 

 tarsus 1. 31 (33.3). Female smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Teal size ; plumage extensively white ; head black, 

 with large sharply defined patch of white from eye to eye behind. Similar spot 

 much reduced, distinctive for female. Expert diver. 



Nesting. — Not known to breed in Ohio. Nest, in hollow of tree or stump, 

 lined with grasses, feathers, etc. Bggs, 6-14, pale olive gray, creamy, or buffy 

 white. Av. size, 1.98 x 1.46 (50.3 x 37.1). 



General Range. — North America; south in winter to Cuba and Mexico. 

 Breeds from Maine and Montana northward, through the Fur Countries and 

 Alaska. 



