The Marrionette—and I think the name a pretty one—is a very hardy bird, for it remains at times during extremely cold weather on the Ohio, when it is thickly covered with floating ice, among which it is seen diving almost constantly in search of food. When the river is frozen over, they seek the head waters of the rapid streams, in the turbulent eddies of which they find abundance of food. Possessed of a feeling of security arising from the rapidity with which they can dive, they often allow you to go quite near them, though they will then watch every motion, and at the snap of your gun, or on its being discharged, disappear with the swiftness of thought, and perhaps as quickly rise again, within a few yards as if to ascertain the cause of their alarm. I have sometimes been much amused to see the apparent glee with which these little Dippers would thus dive at the repeated snappings of a miserable flint lock, patiently tried by some vagrant boys, who becoming fatigued with the ill luck 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 this is the best time for the experienced sportsman to shoot them, as they usually fly low. Their note is a mere croak, much resembling that of the Golden-eye, but feebler. At the approach of spring, the males often swell their throats and expand the feathers of the head, whilst they utter these sounds, and whilst moving with great pomposity 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 young so very much exceeds that of the 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, their flesh is 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 they 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 nests. Dr Richardson states, that they frequent the rivers and fresh-water lakes throughout the Fur Countries in great 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 Rocky Mountains, and it has been observed as far westward as Monterey in New California.
Anas Albeola, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 199.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 867.
Anas bucephala, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 200; Anas rustica, p. 201.
Buffel-headed Duck, Anas Albeola, Wilson, American Ornith. vol. viii. p. 51, pl. 67, fig. 2, 3.
Fuligula Albeola, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of United States, p. 394.
Clangula Albeola, Spirit Duck, Richards. and Swains. Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 458.
Spirit Duck, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 445.