DUCKS 63 



streams and lakes, placing its nests in hollow trees. In win- 

 ter, however, it frequents the sea coast, feeding about the bars 

 and reefs in the shallow bays, usually in company with its 

 own kind. In Mississippi Sound I found a few birds living 

 abeut the oyster reefs near the mainland. On account of 

 their habit of feeding on fiddler crabs, these ducks are often 

 called "fiddler ducks" by local hunters. 



Food habits. — The stomachs of 3 individuals taken in 

 Mississippi Sound contained ground-up remains of crusta- 

 ceans — probably small crabs — and a few snails. McAtee 

 records the bird as feeding on wild celery (ValUsneria) , pond- 

 weed, eelgrass (Zostera), and tubers of musk grass (Chara).* 



BUFFLEHEAD; BUTTER-BALL: Charitonetta albeola 



(Linnaeus) . 



State records. — ^The buffle-head, commonly known as "but- 

 ter-ball" or sometimes "marionette," occurs in small numbers 

 as a winter visitor on the coast and is occasionally met with 

 on the interior waters. In Mississippi Sound it is reported to 

 be rather uncommon; I observed one there on February 10, 

 1912. A large flock was reported to have been seen in Per- 

 dido Bay in January, 1912. Two were seen in Grand Bay, 

 November 19, and two, November 20, 1915, by T. P. White, 

 who showed me the head of one for identification. He killed 

 4 there also the last of November, 1916. McCormack records 

 it as occurring occasionally at Leighton, the species having 

 been taken December 5, 1889, and March 17 to 22, 1890. 

 C. N. Hinderer reports it from Montgomery and Dr. S. C. 

 Frederic reports killing several in the bays near Mobile late 

 in November, 1916. 



General habits. — This little duck is usually found in open 

 water of considerable depth ; it is an expert diver, disappear- 

 ing so quickly when alarmed that it is difficult to shoot even 

 when it is resting on the water. It flies rapidly, but may 

 often be enticed within the circle of a bunch of decoys. It 

 breeds in the far North, placing its nest in hollow trees, after 

 the manner of the wood duck. 



•McAtec, W. L., Bulls. 205, U. S. Dept. Agr., pp. 1, 14, 1915 ; and 465, pp. i, IjO, 17, 

 1917. 



