SUPPLEMENT TO BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY 59 



species. I was at first attracted to the Barrow's Golden-eye by its lack of white 

 on the sides. In place of the great white patch on the wings and flanks of the 

 Whistler, — a field-mark noticeable at a great distance,^a horizontal row of four 

 or five white dots or squares marks the wing-coverts of the Barrow's Golden-eye. 

 The elongated crescentic white marks on the head of the latter species also dis- 

 tinguish it from the Whistler with its round marks. These marks are well seen 

 when the bird faces the observer. As the bird swam I got a glimpse of the pale 

 yellow feet, so different from the orange-colored feet of the Whistkr. The bill 

 is noticeably small. In the male it is black. In the female with the exception 

 of the base and the nail, which are black, the bill is yellow. I have been able to 

 identify two female Barrow's Golden-eyes among some Whistlers in the Back Bay 

 Basin by their small and yellow bills. 



64 [153] Charitonetta albeola (Linn.). 

 Buffle-head; "Dipper"; "Butter-ball." 

 Not uncommon transient and winter visitor. October 9 to May 2. 



I am indebted to Mr. H. W. Wright for a census of this bird at Little Nahant 

 for the twelve years from 1906 to 1918 inclusive, during December, January, and 

 February. The numbers varied from 25 to 72. I do not know any other place 

 on the coast of the County where the Bufflehead regularly spends the winter. 



I have watched the courtship of this species off Lynn Beach and elsewhere.^ 



65 [154] Harelda hyemalis (Linn.). 



Old-squaw. 



Abundant winter visitor. October 14 to May 22. 



' The rarity of this species in ponds is shown by the fact that Dr. J. C. 

 Phillips^ has taken it four times at Wenham Lake. 



On November 18, 19 17, among a large number of Old-squaws off the beach 

 at Ipswich, all but two were in the immature, female, or eclipse plumage. These 

 two were in full adult winter male plumage. On April 23, 1905, off Marblehead 

 Neck, I watched four of this species in summer plumage. 



The call-notes, some of which are doubtless courtship songs, are variously 

 syllabized. The Scotch call it " Coal an' can'le licht." Preble^ says, " The Crees 



1 Townsend, C. W. Auk, vol. 33, pp. 16, 17, 1916. 



2 Phillips, J. C. Auk, vol. 28, p. 195, 1911. 



' Preble, E. A. North Amer. Fauna, no. 27, p. 290, 1908. 



