798 
U. S. P. R. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 
Female with the entire head, neck, and upper parts almost black. An elongated patch behind and below the eye, (not 
reaching it.) The outer webs of some secondaries, and the under parts, white ; the jugulum, sides, and anal region, plumbeous 
gray. 
Length, 15; wing, C.G5; tarsus, 1.25; commissure, 1.44. 
The nostrils of this species are more posterior than in the two others described. 
The name buffle head is a corruption of buffalo head, under which name it is mentioned by 
Bar tram, in 1791. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When 
collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Extent. 
Wing. 
312 
1737 
G094 
4886 
9809 
9813 
9844 
9816 
9811 
9805 
9808 
9815 
3 
9 
3 
April 24, 1841 
Nov. 2, 1844 
15.00 
13.50 
24.00 
6.32 
do 
do 
22.25 
""3" 
59 
St. Mary's Mission, Rocky Mountains 
Camp 119, Bill Williams' Fork, N. M. 
Dec. 18, 1853 
Feb., 1854... 
Mar., 1855... 
Dec, 1854... 
29 
Kenn. & Moll. 
11.00 
21.00 
7.50 
Q 
Presidio, near San Francisco, Cal... 
Mar., 1854... 
46 
40 
Dr. Suckley ... 
15.00 
15.00 
25.00 
23.00 
7.50 
3 
HiSi'RlONlCUS, Lesson. 
Eistrionims, Lesson, Man. d'Ornith. II, 1828, 415. Type Anas histrionica, L. 
Clangula, Steph. Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII, 1824. Not of Fleming, 1822. 
Cosmonetla, Kaup, Entw. Europ. Thierw. 1829. 
Phylaconetta, Brandt, Mem. Ac. St. Pet. VI, 1849. 
Ch. — Bill very small ; the culmen shorter than tarsus, tapering rapidly to tbe rounded tip, which is entirely occupied by the 
nail. Nostrils small, in the anterior portion of posterior half of bill ; the centre about opposite the middle of commissure. A 
well marked angle at the postero-superior corner of the bill. The lateral outline concave behind, the feathers on forehead 
extending a little beyond it ; those of chin not reaching further than those of the sides, and much posterior to the nostrils. 
Lateral outline of edge of bill nearly straight. A membranous lobe at the base of the bill. Tertials bent outward, so as to 
cross the edge of the wing. Tail more than half the wing; considerably pointed ; of 14 feathers. 
This genus differs from Earelda in the more compressed, attenuated, and tapering bill; the 
lateral outline straighter. The feathers of the sides of head and on chin do not extend so far 
forward. The tertials are bent outwards, and the tail, though pointed, lacks the elongation of 
the middle feathers. The coloration is entirely different. The two, however, might, with 
great propriety, be combined in the same genus. 
The membranous lobe at the base of the bill is, as far as I know, peculiar among American 
ducks. This overhangs the basal portion of the commissure, and is an extension of the skin 
of the cheeks near the base of the bill. 
The characters of the single species are as follows : 
Bluish ; the under parts mostly dull brownish. Two white spots on side of neck, two on 
wings, and one on each side of the root of tail. Scapulars and tertials in part white ; 
secondaries with a violet blue speculum. Sides of crown, and of body behind, chestnut. 
Inside of wings and axillars dark brown H. torquatus. 
