72 
BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 
BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK, ANAS ALBEOLA Plate LXVII. 
Fig. 2, Male. — Fig. 3, Female. 
Le Sarselle de Louisiane, JBriss. vl. p. 461, PI. 41, fig. 1.- — Le petit Canard a grosse 
tete, JBuff. ix. p. 249. — Edwards, ii. p. 100. — Cateshy, i. 95. — Lath. Syn. iii. 
p, 533 A. bucephala, id. p. 121, No. 21 ; A. rustica, id. p. 524, No. 24. — 
P Bale's Museum, No. 2730 ; female, 2731. 
CLANGULA ALBEOLA.— Boie. 
Fuligula albeola, JBonap. Synop, p. 394. — Clangula albeola, North. Zool. ii. p. 458. 
This pretty little species, usually known by the name of 
the butter-box, 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 February, 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, though their flesh is inferior to 
many others for the table. The male exceeds the female in 
size, and greatly in beauty of plumage. 
The bufiel-headed duck, or rather, as it has originally been, 
the bufialo-headed duck, from the disproportionate size of its 
head, is fourteen inches long, and twenty-three inches in ex- 
tent ; the bill is short, and of a light blue, or leaden colour ; 
the plumage of the head and half of the neck is thick, long, 
and velvety, projecting 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 backward passes a broad 
band of pure white ; iris of the eye, dark ; back, wings, and 
part of the scapulars, black ; rest of the scapulars, lateral band 
