(Plate XIV.) 
THE BUFFLE-HEADED DUCK. 
Buceiuiala alveola (L.) Bd. 
This winter resident of our ocean coasts and inland waters is 
well known to gunners, but like most of its companion wild-lowls, 
it goes under different names in different districts, and here, as 
often elsewhere, the book-name Is known least of all. “ Butfle- 
headetl ” appears to be of French derivation in allusion to the 
puffed out appearance of the bird's head, oyer the whole top and 
back of which the leathers are lengthened and erect, like the 
shaggy mane and mop of a buffalo. The New England name of 
‘‘Dipper’ and the Long Island one, “Spirit Duck." must refer 
to its wary behavior and quickness in diving; “ Butter-1 mil " and 
“ Butter-box,” New Jersey coast names, give us a hint of this little 
duck's rotundity and fatness. It is not. however, considered of 
much account for the table, notwithstanding a sturdy defence of 
its edible qualities made in the sporting journals a few months 
ago by some enthusiastic gunners. Its food is mainly shell-fish 
and animal substances. The western market-hunter seldom shoots 
at them, even when they come into his decoys, holding them in a 
sort of contempt, and considering them as rather insignificant 
game, though they find ready sale in market. 
Although occurring during the cold half of the year in consid¬ 
erable numbers, the Bli fife-headed Duck is rarely seen in the 
United States except from lall to spring. It is then to be found 
not only along the sea-coast, in all the indentations and tide-water 
creeks, but throughout the whole interior, “from the rock-girdled, 
pine-embosomed lakelets of Maine and the Eastern States, to the 
limestone pools of the Pennsylvanian Alleghanies, to the limpid 
basins set in the oak openings of Michigan and Illinois, to the 
gleaming waters that lie unsheltered from the sun's brightest 
beams in the centre of boundless prairies." It is also a rare vis¬ 
itor to European shores and tropical seas. 
As wary as most of its kind, this little duck is one of the most 
difficult to kill, “ oven \\ith percussion caps," as Giraud wrote in 
1836 — how odd that seems in these days of breech-loaders! — 
since it is a rapid and accomplished swimmer, a very expert diver, 
and in flight is noted for its great velocity. They do not set their 
wings back and stop their headway before alighting, as do most 
wild-fowl, but plump down, splashing the water on all sides, and 
when the water is smooth, often slide along on its surface a con¬ 
siderable distance. To get a shot at one of them requires expe¬ 
rience and the utmost caution, unless the circumstances be of the 
most favorable description Colquhoun, that English writer whom 
dear old Frank Forester was so fond of quoting, describes the 
difficult}- in an imaginary sketch of a gunner, who, glass in hand, 
has been impatiently scanning the surface of a marshy lake, look¬ 
ing out for divers, — in this case the Morillon, which closely re¬ 
sembles our Buffi e-head. 
“ He sees a couple plying their vocation fifteen or twenty yards 
lrom the shore, about half or quarter ol a mile from where he 
stands. He selects his vantage ground as near as possible, for a 
last look before commencing his attack. Having gained this, be 
makes his dog be down, and peeps cautiously until he sees the 
birds, — waits till the}' both dive together, then rushing forward 
whilst they are under water, again conceals himself, expecting their 
reappearance. The great difficulty is always to keep in view the 
exact spot where the birds come up; once lose sight of it, your 
progress is stopped, and, in recovering your advantage, the birds 
are almost certain to see you and fly. When within one race of 
the divers, cock both barrels, and as soon as they together disap¬ 
pear, rush to the nearest point on the shore for a shot. If the day 
be calm, the rising (nibbles will show where they' are; you can 
then clap your gun to your shoulder ready to lire. Always in such 
cases shoot on wing, and be sure to fire well forward ; should a 
diver only be winged, it is useless to tire your retriever in pursuit: 
but if he is at all struck about the legs also, a good dog should 
be able to secure him.” 
During the most of their stay' with us they are found in pairs, 
but towards the end of I'ebruary small flocks assemble, and fierce 
contests are reported to take place among the males for the pos¬ 
session of coveted females. About the beginning of May, these 
beautifully variegated little ducks are seen no more, having winged 
their way northward to their summer homes and breeding places, 
which lie along the shores of such arctic rivers as the Yukon and 
McKenzie, and those streams which flow into Hudson’s Bay. 
Not much consequently is known of their nullification ; but they 
are said to build substantial nests, placing them in trees not far 
from tlie water. In the abundance of feathers with which these 
homes are furnished, about a dozen eggs of a rich creamy tint are 
buried out of view. Lately Dr. Cones has discovered satisfactory' 
evidence of the Buffle-head’s breeding within the United States, 
on the Upper Missouri River, where it is very abundant in win¬ 
ter. 
