BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 467 



BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. {Anas albeola.) 



PLATE LXVII.— Fig. 2, Male ; Fig. 3, Female. 



Le Sarselle de Louisiane, Briss. vi. p. 461, pi. 41, fig. 1. — Le Petit Canard a grosse 

 tete, Buff. ix. p. 249. — Edwards, ii. p. 100. — Catesby, i. 95. —Lath. Syn. iii. 

 p. 533. — A. bucephala, id. p. 121, No. 21 ; A. rustica, id. p. 524, No. 24. — 

 Peale's Museum, No. 2730 ; female, 2731. 



CLANGULA ALBEOLA.— Pole. 

 Fuligula albeola, Bonap. Synop. p. 394. — Clangula albeola, North. Zool. ii. p. 458. 



This pretty little species, usually known by the name of the 

 butter-box or butter-ball, is common to the sea-shores, rivers, 

 and lakes of the United States in every quarter of the country 

 during autumn and winter. About the middle of April or 

 early in May they retire to the north to breed. They are 

 dexterous divers, and fly with extraordinary velocity. So 

 early as the latter part of February, the males are observed to 

 have violent disputes for the females. At this time they are 

 more commonly seen in flocks, but during the preceding part of 

 winter they usually fly in pairs. Their note is a short quak. 

 They feed much on shellfish, shrimps, &c. They are some- 

 times exceedingly fat, though their flesh is inferior to many 

 others for the table. The male exceeds the female in size, 

 and greatly in beauty of plumage. 



The buff el-headed duck, or rather, as it has originally been, 

 the buffalo-headed duck, from the disproportionate size of its 

 head, is fourteen inches long, and twenty-three inches in 

 extent ; the bill is short, and of a light blue, or leaden colour ; 

 the plumage of the head and half of the neck is thick, long, 

 and velvety, projecting greatly over the lower part of the 

 neck ; this plumage on the forehead and nape is rich glossy 

 green, changing into a shining purple on the crown and sides 

 of the neck ; from the eyes backward passes a broad band 

 of pure white ; iris of the eye, dark ; back, wings, and part 

 of the scapulars, black ; rest of the scapulars, lateral band 

 along the wing, and whole breast, snowy white ; belly, vent, 



