AMEBIC AN GOLD EX-EYE 297 



"bushy" look. The female and young males have a white 

 patch extending from the eye to the back of the head. (See 

 the following species, and the Hooded Merganser, p. 307.) 



Note. — Barrow's Golden-eye, Clangula islandica, a species which 

 resembles the following- closely in appearance and habit, is a rare 

 winter visitant on the Maine coast. The chief differences are in the 

 purplish-blue of the head, and the shape of the white spot before the 

 eye, which in this species is twice as large and somewhat crescent- 

 shaped. It would not ordinarily be safe to attempt to distinguish the 

 two species, unless the birds were in the hand. 



American Golden-eye ; Whistler. Clangula clangula 



americana 



20.00 



Ad. $ . — Head black (greenish in good light), slightly crested ; 

 spot below and in front of eye white ; middle of back and tail 

 black; entire under parts (except throat), broad ring around 

 neck, and sides of upper back white ; wing black, much of it 

 covered with long white feathers when closed, and showing a 

 broad patch of white when spread ; bill black ; feet orange. 

 Ad. 9. — Head dull reddish-brown, no ivhite spot ; back and band 

 across breast dark grayish-brown ; ring around neck and rest of 

 under parts white ; wing showing considerable white both when 

 closed and when open ; bill yellowish-brown ; feet and legs yel- 

 lowish. 



Nest, in a hole in a tree, near the water. Eggs, bright pea- 

 green, or olivaceous green. 



The Whistler is a common winter visitant to the coast 

 of New York and New England, arriving in October, and 

 leaving in April. It breeds in northern Maine, notably at 

 Lake Umbagog (see Brewster, "Auk," vol. xvii. pp. 207- 

 216). The Whistler in winter is an inshore duck, coming 

 into the small bays and harbors, and up the mouths of 

 rivers, where it dives for shellfish and water plants. 

 Sometimes when the shoals are frozen over, any small 

 inland pond-hole will afford it food. Though generally 

 wary, it has quickly taken advantage of the immunity 



