BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. 
73 
along the wing, and whole breast, snowy white ; belly, vent, 
and tail-coverts, dusky white ; tail, pointed, and of a hoary 
colour. 
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 secondaries 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 
(Arctic Zoology^ No. 487), likewise the little brown duck of 
Catesby (Natural History of Carolina^ pL 98). 
This species is said to come into Hudson’s Bay, about Se- 
vern River, in June, and make their nests in trees in the 
woods near ponds.* The young males, during the first year, 
are almost exactly like the females in colour. 
♦ Latham. 
