Anas dispar and Anas Stelleri, Gmel. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 535, 518.
Fuligula Stelleri, Bonap. Syn. p. 394.
Western Duck, Fuligula dispar, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 253.
409. 14. Fuligula Albeola, Linn. Buffel-headed Duck.—Spirit Duck. Butter-box. Dipper. Die-dipper. Marrionette.
Plate CCCXXV. Male and Female.
Bill much shorter than the head, light greyish-blue; feet pale flesh-colour; feathers of head and upper part of neck elongated; tail short, graduated, of sixteen feathers; fore part of head of a deep rich green, upper part rich purplish-blue, as are the elongated feathers on the fore part and sides of the neck; the hind part of the latter deep green; a broad band of pure white from one cheek to the other over the occiput; rest of the neck, lower parts, outer scapulars, and a large patch on the wing, including the greater part of the small coverts, and some of the secondary coverts and quills, pure white, the scapulars narrowly margined with black, as are the inner lateral feathers; axillars brownish-black, some of them white on the margin and towards the end; lower wing-coverts brownish-black, the smaller tipped with white; back, inner scapulars, and secondary quills velvet-black; alula, primary coverts, and primary quills deep black; rump gradually fading to greyish-white; tail-feathers brownish-grey, with the tips whitish. Female much smaller, with the feathers of the head not elongated, unless in the median line; bill darker, feet greyish-blue; head, upper part of neck, hind neck, back, and wings, greyish-brown; a short transverse white band from beneath the eye, and a slight speck of the same on the lower eyelid; six of the secondary quills white on the outer web; lower parts white, shaded into light greyish-brown on the sides.
Male, 141/2, 23. Female, 13, 221/4.
Distributed throughout the country and along the Atlantic shores during autumn, winter, and spring. Texas, Upper California, Columbia River. Breeds very far north.
Buffel-headed Duck, Anas albeola, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 51.
Fuligula albeola, Bonap. Syn. p. 394.
Clangula albeola, Spirit Duck, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 458.
Spirit Duck, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 445.
Buffel-headed Duck, Fuligula albeola, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 217.
410. 15. Fuligula histrionica, Linn. Harlequin Duck.
Plate CCXCVII. Male, Female, and Young.
Bill much shorter than the head, comparatively narrow, light yellowish-olive; feet light greyish-blue, the webs dusky; a broad median band from the base of the bill to the occiput bluish-black, margined behind with light yellowish-red, before with white, that colour forming a broad triangular spot on the cheek anterior to the eye; sides of the head and neck all round purplish-blue; a spot of white behind the ear, a curved line on the side of the neck, and a complete ring below the middle of the neck, with a curved band of the same anterior to the wing, all broadly edged with black; fore part of back light purplish-blue, hind part gradually deepening in tint, so as to become almost black, of which colour is the rump all round; scapulars chiefly white; wing-coverts purplish-blue, as are the alula and primary coverts; the quills dark greyish-brown; tail greyish-black; a band of white across the wing, formed by the tips of the secondaries, of which the inner have their outer webs principally of the same colour; fore part of breast purplish-blue, hind part and abdomen greyish-brown, sides light red, generally undulated with dusky; a lateral spot of white near the root of the tail. Female greyish-brown, deeper on the head and rump, lighter on the fore neck, and mottled with greyish-white on the breast; quills dark brown, edged with lighter, tail blackish-grey; a large whitish spot mottled with grey before the eye, and another of a purer white behind the ear; bill and feet dull bluish-grey.