Harvard quarterback Brian Buckley underwent minor exploratory surgery on his knee last night, a procedure that will put the senior out or action for at least three weeks.

Dr. Arthur Boland, the team orthopedic surgeon, said yesterday the surgery involved looking inside the knee with a fiber optic lens called an orthoscope to determine the extent of damage to the cartilage.

Boland could not be reached for comment after the surgery.

Buckley injured his knee late in the fourth quarter of Harvard's 15-10 victory over Army, Saturday at West Point, N.Y. X-rays taken Sunday revealed no ligament damage, but Boland said he could not gauge the severity of the cartilage damage until he had seen the knee with an orthoscope.

Who Knows

Junior Mike Buchanan came on to replace Buckley for Harvard's final two series, but coach Joe Restic said Sunday that he had not decided who would start for the Crimson against Cornell this Saturday.