51 



BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 

 ANAS ALBEOLA. 

 [Plate LXVIL— Fig. 2, ;ifo/^.— Fig. 3, Female,'\ 



La Sareelle de la Louisiane, Bkiss. VI, p. 461, pi, ^±,fig, l.-^Le petit Canard a grosse tete, Buff. IX, 



p. 249 Edw. pi. ±00.— Jlrct. Zool. JVo. 487 Catesby, I, 95 Lath. Syn. Ill, p. 533.— Peale's 



MuseuMf JVo. 2730. 



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

 Butter-box J 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 Fe- 

 bruary 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 shell fish, shrimps, &c. 

 They are sometimes exceedingly fat ; tho their flesh is inferior to 

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

 and greatly in beauty of plumage. 



The Buffel-headed Duck, or rather as it has originally been, 

 the Buffaloe-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 color; the plumage 

 of the head and half of the neck is thick, long and velvetty, pro- 

 jecting 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 back- 

 ward passes a broad band of pure white; iris of the eye dark; 



