418 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
201. Bucephalci albeola, (Linn.,) Baird. — Buifel-headed duck; “But- 
ter-ball.” Winter resident. More common than preceding. Ar- 
rive in fall, about the middle of September; leave in spring, the 
second week in April. 
202. Harelda glacialis, (Linn.,) Leach. — Long-tailed duck. 
203. Melanetta velvetina , (Cass.,) Baird. — Yelvet duck. 
204. Pelionetta perspicillata, (Linn.,) Kaup. — Surf duck. 
205. Oidemia americana, Swainson. — Scoter duck. 
(The four preceding birds do not properly belong to the fauna of 
the District, being strictly marine birds. They are found at the 
mouth of the Potomac, and ascend it as far as the salt water reaches. 
Their appearance in this immediate locality must, however, be con- 
sidered accidental. They are all to be seen in the market during the 
winter.) 
206. Erismatura rubida, (Wils.,) Bon. — Buddy duck. Winter res- 
ident. Abundant. Frequently exposed for sale in the market, but 
not esteemed for food. 
207. Mergus americanus, Cassin. — Goosander. “Fishing duck.” 
Winter resident. Not common. More frequently seen on creeks and 
millponds than on the rivers. 
208. Mergus serrator, Linn. — Bed-breasted merganser. 1 ‘ Fishing 
duck.” Winter resident. Bather more common than the preceding. 
Found in much the same situations. 
209. Lophodytes cucullatus, (Linn. , ) Beich. — Hooded merganser. 
Winter resident. Bather rare. . 
210. Thalassidroma leacliii , Bon. — Leach’s Petrel. Accidental 
visitor. (Numbers were seen during a storm some years ago.) 
211. Puffinus, ? A shearwater, probably P. obscurus, has 
been detected in the District. 
212. Larus smitlisonianus ,* Cones. — Herring gull. “ Sea gull.” 
Seen over the river through the winter. Not numerous. Exceed- 
ingly shy and wary. 
213. Larus delawarensis, Ord. — Bing-billed gull. Seen about the 
river during the winter months. More numerous than the preceding. 
214. Chroicocephalus atricilla, (Linn.,) Lawr. — Laughing gull. Oc- 
casionally seen during the late summer and early autumn months. 
215. Chroicocephalus Philadelphia, (Ord. , )Lawr. — Bonaparte’ s hooded 
gull. More abundant than the preceding, being quite common. Be- 
mains here through the winter. (?) 
216. Sterna aranea, Wils.- — Marsh Tern. Bare; only occasionally 
seen during the late summer and early fall months, over the marshes 
bordering the river. 
217. Sterna wilsonii , Bon. — Wilson’s Tern. An occasional visitor 
during the late summer and early fall months. [Sterna forsteri is 
undoubtedly to be found in the District.] 
218. Sterna frenata, Gambel. — Least Tern. Not uncommon. Fre- 
quently seen over the marshes bordering the Potomac and Eastern 
Branch in August and September, and more rarely in spring. 
219. Hydrochelidon plumbea, Wils. — Short-tailed Tern. ‘ ‘ Little 
* See Proc Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, June, 1862, p. 296. 
