BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 371 



inland ponds, which they seemed loth to leave, for, although repeatedly shot 

 at, they would return. Their food is much varied according to situation. 

 On the sea-coast, or in estuaries, they dive after shrimps, small fry, and 

 bibalve shells; and in fresh water, they feed on small crayfish, leeches, and 

 snails, and even grasses. 



Not having found any of these birds in Labrador or Newfoundland, I am 

 unable to say anything as to their nests. Dr. Richardson states, that they 

 frequent the rivers and fresh-water lakes throughout the Fur Countries in 

 great numbers, but does not mention having observed them breeding. As 

 in almost all other species of this family, the young of both sexes in autumn 

 resemble the adult female. Mr. Townsend has found this species on the 

 streams of the Rocky Mountains, and it has been observed as far westward 

 as Monterey in New California. 



Buffel-headed Duck, Anas albeola, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. viii. p. 51. 



Foligula albeola, Bonap. Syn., p. 394. 



Clangola albeola, Spirit Duck, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 458. 



Spirit Duck, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 445. 



Bcffel-headed Duck, Fuligula albeola, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 217. 



Male, 14£, 23. Female, 13, 22$ 



Distributed throughout the country and along the Atlantic shores during 

 autumn, winter, and spring. Texas, Upper California, Columbia river. 

 Breeds very far north. 



Adult Male. 



Bill much shorter than the head, comparatively narrow, deeper than broad 

 at the base, gradually depressed towards the end, which is rounded. Upper 

 mandible with the dorsal line straight and sloping to the middle, then nearly 

 straight, at the end decurved; the ridge broad and flat at the base, narrowed 

 between the nostrils, convex towards the end, the sides convex, the edges 

 soft, with about thirty-five lamellae, the unguis oblong. Nostrils sub-medial, 

 linear, pervious, nearer the ridge than the margin. Lower mandible flat, 

 ascending, curved at the base, the angle long, rather narrow, the dorsal line 

 very slightly convex, the edges with about forty lamella?, the unguis broadly 

 elliptical. 



Head rather large, compressed. Eyes of moderate size. Neck short and 

 thick. Body compact, depressed. Feet very short, placed far back, tarsus 

 very short, compressed, having anteriorly in its whole length a series of 

 small scutella, and above the outer toe a few broad scales, the rest covered 

 with reticular angular scales. Hind toe very small, with a free membrane 

 beneath; anterior toes longer than the tarsus, connected by reticulated mem- 

 branes, having a sinus on their free margins, the inner with a narrow lobed 



