798 
U. S. P. E. E. EXP. AND SUEVEYS-ZOOLOGY-GENEEAL EEPOET. 
Female with the entire head, neck, and upper parts almost black. An elongated patch behind and below the eye, (not 
reaching it.) The outer webs of some secondaries, and the under parts, white ; the jugulum, sides, and anal region, plumbeous 
gray. 
Length, 15; wing, C.C5; tarsus, 1.25 ; commissure, 1.44. 
The nostrils of this species are more posterior than in the two others described. 
The name buffie head is a corruption of buffalo head, under which name it is mentioned by 
Bartram, in 1791. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When 
collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Extent. 
Wing. 
312 
s 
Carlisle, Pa..... 
April 24, 1841 
s. F. Baird. 
15 on 
1737 
O 
13.50 
22.25 
6.32 
G094 
<? 
Selkirk settlement, H. B. T. 
D. Gunn.. 
6892 
Nelson river, H. B. T... 
4886 
Colorado Laguna, N. M. 
Maj. Emory... 
59 
9809 
3 
St. Mary’s Mission, Rocky Mountains 
Dec. 18, 1853 
Gov. Stevens... 
9813 
Camp 119, Bill Williams’ Fork, N. M. 
89 
11.00 
21.00 
7.50 
9844 
9 
Boca Grande, Mex. 
Mar, 1855... 
Mai. Emory... 
29 
9816 
Bodega, Cal. 
Dec, 1854... 
9811 
Presidio, near San Francisco, Cal... 
9805 
Mar, 1854... 
46 
15 fifi 
7.50 
9808 
$ 
3 
15.00 
23.00 
9815 
40 
HiSi'RIOKICUS, Lesson. 
Histrionicus, Lesson, Man. d’Ornith. II, 1828, 415. Type Anas histrionica, L. 
Clanyula, Steph. Shaw’s Gen. Zool. XII, 1824. Not of Fleming, 1822. 
Cosmonetla, Kaup, Entw. Europ. Thierw. 1829. 
PhylaconMa, Brandt, Mem. Ac. St. Pet. VI, 1849. 
Ch. —Bill very small; the culmen shorter than tarsus, tapering rapidly to the rounded tip, which is entirely occupied by the 
nail. Nostrils small, in the anterior portion of posterior half of bill; the centre about opposite the middle of commissure. A 
well marked angle at the postero-superior corner of the bill. The lateral outline concave behind, the feathers on forehead 
extending a little beyond it; those of chin not reaching further than those of the sides, and much posterior to the nostrils. 
Lateral outline of edge of bill nearly straight. A membranous lobe at the base of the bill. Tertials bent outward, so as to 
cross the edge of the wing. Tail more than half the wing; considerably pointed ; of 14 feathers. 
This genus differs from Harelda in the more compressed, attenuated, and tapering bill; the 
lateral outline straighter. The feathers of the sides of head and on chin do not extend so far 
forward. The tertials are bent outwards, and the tail, though pointed, lacks the elongation of 
the middle feathers. The coloration is entirely different. The two, however, might, with 
great propriety, be combined in the same genus. 
The membranous lobe at the base of the bill is, as far as I know, peculiar among American 
ducks. This overhangs the basal portion of the commissure, and is an extension of the skin 
of the cheeks near the base of the bill. 
The characters of the single species are as follows : 
Bluish ; the under parts mostly dull brownish. Two white spots on side of neck, two on 
wings, and one on each side of the root of tail. Scapulars and tertials in part white ; 
secondaries with a violet blue speculum. Sides of crown, and of body behind, chestnut. 
Inside of wings and axillars dark brown............ H. torquatus. 
