BUFFLE-HEAD 



BUCEPHALA ALBEOLA (Linne) 

 (Plates 67, 68, 69) 



Synonymy 

 Anas albeola Linne, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, vol. 1, p. 124, 1758. 

 Anas bucephala Linne, Systema Naturae, ed. 12, vol. 1, p. 200, 1766. 

 Anas rustica Linne, Systema Naturae, ed. 12, vol. 1, p. 201, 1766. 

 Clangula albeola Stephens, General Zoology, vol. 12, pt. 2, p. 184, 1824. 

 Fuligula albeola Bonaparte, Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York, vol. 2, p. 394, 1826. 

 Platypus albeola Reinhardt, K. Danske Vid. Selsk. Afhdl., vol. 7, p. 104, 1838. 

 Clangula bucephala Lichtenstein, Nomenclator Avium, p. 102, 1854. 

 Bucephala albeola Baird, Birds No. Amer., p. 797, 1858. 

 Charitonetta albeola Stejneger, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., no. 29, p. 166, 1885. 



Vernacular Names 



English: Buffie-head, Butter-ball, Butter Duck, Butter-back, Butter-box, Butter- 

 bowl, Spirit Duck, Conjuring Duck, Dipper, Robin Dipper, Bumble-bee Dipper, 

 Dapper, Dopper, Die-dipper, Didapper, Wool-head, Scotch Duck, Scotch Dip- 

 per, Scotch Teal, Shot-bag, Hell Diver, Sleepy Diver, Buffalo-headed Duck, 

 Marionette, Little Black-and-white, Little Brown Duck. 



German: Buffel-Ente, Kleine Schellente. 



French: Petit bucephale, Marionnette, Sarcelle de la Louisiane, La Religieuse, Sar- 

 celle blanche et noire, Petit canard a grosse tete, Sarcelle de la Caroline, Gar- 

 rot albeole. 



Spanish: Pato de la Carolina. 



DESCRIPTION 



Adult Male: Whole head and upper neck dark metallic green and purple, except a large patch of 

 pure white on the side of the head posterior to the eye, that joins its fellow of the opposite side at the 

 occiput. Lower neck white, as well as the whole of the under parts. Mantle, inner scapulars, back 

 and rump black, shading into pearl gray on the upper tail-coverts and tail. Outer scapulars white, 

 tipped with black. Wings black around carpal joint, outer coverts and outer secondaries and pri- 

 maries, but a large white patch covers all the central coverts and most of the secondaries. Under 

 wing-coverts blackish, more or less tipped with white; axillars black. 



Iris dark brown. Bill bluish, darker at the base where it is nearly black. Legs and feet, pale pink- 

 ish salmon-color, the webs and joints dusky ; but in spring becoming much more brilliant, at least to 

 dull coral-red. 



Wing 166-177 mm.; bill 27-30; tarsus 32. 



Weight 15 ounces to 1 pound, 3 ounces (0.42 to 0.54 kilograms). 



