370 BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 



Butter-box, Marrionette, Dipper, and Die-dipper. It generally returns from 

 the far north, where it is said to breed, about the beginning of September, 

 and many reach the neighbourhood of New Orleans by the middle of 

 October, at which period I have also observed them in the Floridas. Their 

 departure from these different portions of our country varies from the begin- 

 ning of March to the end of May. On the 11th of that month in 1833, I 

 shot some of them near Eastport in Maine. None of them have, I believe, 

 been found breeding within the limits of the Union. During the period of 

 their movements towards the north, I found them exceedingly abundant on 

 the waters of the Bay of Fundy, the males in flocks, and in full dress, pre- 

 ceding the females about a fortnight, as is the case with many other birds. 



The Marrionette — and I think the name a pretty one — is a very hardy 

 bird, for it remains at times during extremely cold weather on the Ohio, 

 when it is thickly covered with floating ice, among which it is seen diving 

 almost constantly in search of food. When the river is frozen over, they 

 seek the head waters of the rapid streams, in the turbulent eddies of which 

 they find abundance of food. Possessed of a feeling of security arising 

 from the rapidity with which tTiey can dive, they often allow you to go 

 quite near them, though they will then watch every motion, and at the snap 

 of your gun, or on its being discharged, disappear with the swiftness of 

 thought, and perhaps as quickly rise again, within a few yards, as if to ascer- 

 tain the cause of their alarm. I have sometimes been much amused to see 

 the apparent glee with which these little Dippers would thus dive at the 

 repeated snappings of a miserable flint lock, patiently tried by some vagrant 

 boys, who, becoming fatigued with the ill luck of their piece, would lay it 

 aside, and throw stones at the birds, which would appear quite pleased. 



Their flight is as rapid as that of our Hooded Merganser, for they pass 

 through the air by regularly repeated beats of their wings, with surprising 

 speed; and yet this is the best time for the experienced sportsman to shoot 

 them, as they usually fly low. Their note is a mere croak, much resembling 

 that of the Golden-eye, but feebler. At the approach of spring, the males 

 often swell their throats and expand the feathers of the head, whilst they 

 utter these sounds, and whilst moving with great pomposity over the waters. 

 Often too, they charge against each other, as if about to engage in combat, 

 but I have never seen them actually fighting. 



When these birds return to us from the north, the number of the young 

 so very much exceeds that of the old, that to find males in full plumage is 

 much moi'e uncommon than toward the time of their departure, when I 

 have thought the males as numerous as the females. Although at times they 

 are very fat, their flesh is fishy and disagreeable. Many of them, however, 

 are offered for sale in our markets. I have often found some of them on 



