52 



BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 



back, wings and part of the scapulars black; rest of the scapulars, 

 lateral band along the wing, and whole breast, snowy white ; belly, 

 vent, and tail coverts dusky white; tail pointed, and of a hoary 

 color. 



The female is considerably less than the male, and entirely 

 destitute of the tumid plumage of the head; the head, neck and 

 upper parts of the body, and wings, are sooty black, darkest on 

 the crown; side of the head marked with a small oblong spot of 

 white; bill dusky; lower part of the neck ash, tipt with white; 

 belly dull white ; vent cinereous ; outer edges of six of the secon- 

 daries and their incumbent coverts white, except the tips of the 

 latter, which are black; legs and feet a livid blue; tail hoary 

 brown; length of the intestines three feet six inches; stomach 

 filled with small shell fish. This is the Spirit Duck of Pennant, 

 so called from its dexterity in diving (Arct. Zool. No. 487.)? like- 

 wise the Little Brown Duck of Catesby (Nat. Hist. Car. pi. 98.). 



This species is said to come into Hudson's Bay about Severn 

 river in June, and make their nests in trees in the woods near 

 ponds. ^ The young males during the first year are almost ex- 

 actly like the females in color. 



* Latham. 



