BTJFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 
81 
Butter-bos, Marrionette, Dipper, and Die-dipper. It generally returns from 
the far north, where it is said to breed, about the beginning of September, 
and many reach the neighbourhood of New Orleans by the middle of 
October, at which period I have also observed them in the Floridas. Their 
departure from these different portions of our country varies from the begin- 
ning of March to the end of May. On the 11th of that month in 1833, I 
shot some of them near Eastport in Maine. None of them have, I believe, 
been found breeding within the limits of the Union. During the period of 
their movements towards the north, I found them exceedingly abundant on 
the waters of the Bay of Fun dy, the males in flocks, and in full dress, pre- 
ceding the females about a fortnight, as is the case with many other birds. 
The Marrionette— and I think the name a pretty one — is a very hardy 
bird, for it remains at times during extremely cold weather on the Ohio, 
when it is thickly covered with floating ice, among which it is seen diving 
almost constantly in search of food. When the river is frozen over, they 
seek the head waters of the rapid streams, in the turbulent eddies of which 
they find abundance of food. Possessed of a feeling of security arising 
from the rapidity with which they can dive, they often allow you to go 
quite near them, though they will then watch every motion, and at the snap 
of your gun, or on its being discharged, disappear with the swiftness of 
thought, and perhaps as quickly rise again, within a few yards, as if to ascer- 
tain the cause of their alarm. I have sometimes been much amused to see 
the apparent glee with which these little Dippers would thus dive at the 
repeated snappings of a miserable flint lock, patiently tried by some vagrant 
boys, who, becoming fatigued with the ill luck of their piece, would lay it 
aside, and throw stones at the birds, which would appear quite pleased. 
Their flight is as rapid as that of our Hooded Merganser, for they pass 
through the air by regularly repeated beats of their wings, with surprising 
speed ; and yet this is the best time for the experienced sportsman to shoot 
them, as they usually fly low. Their note is a mere croak, much resembling 
that of the Golden-eye, but feebler. At the approach of spring, the males 
often swell their throats and expand the feathers of the head, whilst they 
utter these sounds, and whilst moving with great pomposity over the waters. 
Often too, they charge against each other, as if about to engage in combat, 
but I have never seen them actually fighting. 
When these birds return to us from the north, the number of the young 
so very much exceeds that of the old, that to find males in full plumage is 
much more uncommon than toward the time of their departure, when I 
have thought the males as numerous as the females. Although at times they 
are very fat, their flesh is fishy and disagreeable. Many of them, however, 
are offered for sale in our markets. I have often found some of them on 
Vol. VII. — ll 
