There are no portions of the Union on the waters of which this beautiful miniature of the Golden-eye Duck is not to be found, either during the autumnal months or in winter; and, therefore, to point out any particular district as more or less favoured by its transient visits would be useless. The miller’s dam is ornamented by its presence; the secluded creeks of the Middle States are equally favoured by it as the stagnant bayous and lakes of Lower Louisiana; in the Carolinas and on the Ohio, it is not less frequent; it being known in these different districts by the names of Spirit Duck, Butter-box, Marrionette, Dipper, and Die-dipper. It generally returns from the far north, where it is said to breed, about the beginning of September, and many reach the neighbourhood of New Orleans by the middle of October, at which period I have also observed them in the Floridas. Their departure from these different portions of our country varies from the beginning of March to the end of May. On the 11th of that month in 1833, I shot some of them near Eastport in Maine. None of them have, I believe, been found breeding within the limits of the Union. During the period of their movements towards the north, I found them exceedingly abundant on the waters of the Bay of Fundy, the males in flocks, and in full dress, preceding the females about a fortnight, as is the case with many other birds. 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.