218 B U F F E L - H E A D E D DUCK.
% rise again, within a few yards as if to ascertain the cause of their [
alarm. I have sometimes boon much amused to see the apparent glee
with which thèse' little Dippers would thus dive at. the repeated snappings
of a.miserable flintlock, patiently tried by some vagrant boys,
who becoming fatigued with thelgjjBUiek 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 t h i s t h e best tiïûé for tho experienced
sportsman to shoot thorn, as they usually fly low. Their note is a
mere croak, much resembling that of the Golden-eye,, hut feebler. At
.the approach of spring, the male's often swell their throats and expand
the feathers: of the head, whilst they utter thfpé sounds, and whilst
moving with groatjpompositv 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
ynuny so very much exceeds that of tho 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,! Slêïr flèsh i.s fishy and disagreeable.
Many of them, however, are offered for sale in our markets.
I have often found some of them on inland ponds, which tliey seemed
loth to leave, for, although repeatedly shot at, they would return. Their
food is much varied according to situation. On the sea-coast, or in eStuaries,
they dive after shrimps,: small fry, and bivalve shells ; and in
fresh-water, they feed on small crayfish,-leeches, and snails, and even
grasses..
Not having found any of these birds in Labrador Or Newfoundland,
I am unable to say anything as to their nèsts. Dr RICHARDSON states,
that they frequent the rivers and fresh-water lafes throughout the Fur
Countries in gréait numbers, but does not mention having observed them
breeding; As in almost all other species; of this family, the young of
both sexes in autumn resemble the adult female. Dr TOWNSEND has
found this species on the streams of the Eocky Mountains,: and it has
been observed as far westward as Monterey in New California.
B U F F E L - H E A D E D DUCK.
Aw AS ALBEOIA, Um. Sy*. Xat-vol. i. p. 199. -M. Ind. Or,nth. vpLji p. 867;
AIR AS B U OE Ï H A 1 A S y s t . .Mat. vol. i ,p. 200 ; ANAS apsticA,. ,J>. 201.
lieFFKÏ.-iiKAJÏKTT J)„rCK. AXA» AT.BKOLA, F®«», American Ornith. vol. Yiii. p. 51,
• *ji.«Iji^lW5*'' '''"•'"'"• '•"-v" 'w V ' :
Ft:LIORI.A AI.BF.OIA, Ch. SMpmti,Synops. of Birds ofUnitod States, p. 894.
C1.AKBX.I.A AIBEOI-A, SPIKIT Duc*, Bidmris. AND Swaim. Fauna Bor.-Amer. VOL
ii. p, 458.
SPIRIT DUCK, NuWM, Manual, vol. ii. p. 445.
Adult Male. Plate CCCXXV. Fig. 1.
Bill mucli' Shorter than' the head, comparatively narrow, deeper than
teoad at the base, gradually depressed towards the end, which isrounded.
ïfjpper mandible with the dorsal lino straight and sloping to the midlife,
then nearly straight, at the end decurved; the'ridge broad and
flat at the base, narrowed between the nostrils, convex towards the end,
the sides convex, the edges sSft,Vith about thirty-five lamelloe, the unguis
oblong. Nostrils siibmcdial, linear, pervious, nearer the ridge
than the margin. Lower- mandible flat, asijéhting, curved at the hase,
the angle long, rather narrow, the dorsal line very slightly convex, the
edges with about forty lamellae, the unguis broadly elliptical.
Head rather large, compressed. Eyes of moderate size. Neck'
short and thick. Body compact, depressed. Feet very short, placed
far back ; tarsus Very short, compressed, having anteriorly in its whole
length a series of srhall seutclla, and aBoW the outer toe a fèw broad
scales, the rest covered with reticular angular scales. Hind toe very
small, with a f res membrane beneath; anterior toes longer than the
tarsus, connected by reticulated membranes, having a sinus on their
free margins, the inner with a narrow lobed marginal membrane, the
outé» with a thickened edge, the third and fourth about equal and
longest, all covered above with numerous narrow seutella. Claws small,
slightly arc hod, obtuse, that of first toe very small, of third largest, and
with an inner thin edge.
Plumage dense, soft and blended. Feathers on the fore part of the
head very small and rounded, on the upper and hind parts linear and
elongated, as they also are on the lateral and hind parts of the upper
néck, so that whim raised, they give the head an extremely tumid appearance,
which®the more marked that the feathers of the neck immediately
beneath are short. Wings very small, decurved, pointed ;
the outer primaries pointed, the first longest, the rest rapidly graduated ;