A Synopsis of the Birds of North AmericaAudubon, John James
Science
A Synopsis of the Birds of North America
Audubon, John James
Birds -- Classification; Birds -- North America
Bill shorter than the head, greyish-blue; tail rather short, pointed,
of fourteen feathers; upper part of head and broad band surrounding
the neck, white; throat and some feathers around the eye black; a
light green patch in the loral space, and a transverse patch of the
same on the nape, margined behind and laterally with black; a broad
band on the neck and the whole of the back velvet-black, with green
reflections; smaller wing-coverts white; secondary coverts
bluish-black, terminating in a broad white band; elongated secondaries
and scapulars with the inner web white, the outer black, with blue
reflections; primaries and coverts brownish-black; tail black, as are
the lower tail-coverts and abdomen; the breast and sides reddish-buff,
fading towards the shoulders and neck into pure white; a bluish-black
spot on each side of the lower part of the neck anterior to the wing.
_Male_, 16; wing, 8-3/4.
North-west coast.
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_, 14-1/2, 23. _Female_, 13, 22-1/4.
Distributed throughout the country and along the Atlantic shores
during autumn, winter, and spring. Texas, Upper California, Columbia
River. Breeds very far north.
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