Harrow's (jolden-eyk. 83 



at certain points, \vhei'(> the favoi'ite mussels are obtained, it is more 

 common. Dr. INIacallum mentions the mouth of the (ilrand lliver, 

 near l>uiiii\illc, as one of the resorts where these Inrds assemble in 

 great numix-rs, and rcuiain till frozen out. 



GLAUCTOXETT.A ISLANDICA (Gal). 

 oi'. Barrow's Golden-eye. (152) 



Very similar to the preceding, cUlferiug chiefly in heing larger in size ; gloss 

 of the head, purple and violet ; loral spot, larger ; white on the wing divided by 

 a dark bar: feathers on the hind head lengthened into a crest; bill blotched 

 with red. Length, 19-22 ; wing, 9-10. The female can probably not l)e distin- 

 guished from the preceding. 



Hab. — Xorthern Xorth America, south in winter to New ^((^k. Illinois an<l 

 Utali : l)reeding fi-oni the (iulf of St. Lawrence )i<)it]i\\ard. and south in the 

 Rocky Mountains to Colorado. 



Nest and eggs, like the ))rece(Iing. 



Dr. (Marnier, who resides at Lucknow, a httle to the east of Lake 

 Huron, ivports tlie finding of this species occasionally in winter in 

 the inlets along the lake shore. The Doctor, who is not entirely in 

 harmony with the modern school of ornithologists, thinks this a case 

 of unnecessary sul)di\ision. At all events, he claims to have found 

 liotli forms, and he is likely correct, for the ^^resent species is found on 

 Lake Michigan, which is within easy reach of the point to which the 

 Doctor refers. It was also taken at Toronto, by Mr. C. Pickering, 

 on the iSth of April, 1885 : and at Hamilton I am aware of three 

 being obtained, one of which came into my possession. They may, 

 however, he more common than we are aware, for the hunters do 

 not ti'ouble the AVhistlewings if anything more suitable for the ta})le 

 is in view. 



In the "Binls of the North- West," Dr. Coues says: "Barrow's 

 (lolden-eye, upon which some doubt has been cast by myself among 

 others, appears, nevertheless, to be a valid species, the differences 

 pointed out in the Key and in other works being apparently constant 

 as well as appreciable : and there being, moreover, certain anatomical 

 peculiarities in the form of the skull, of which I have only lately 

 become aware." 



'' Originally descritjed in 1788, it was subseiiuently I'e-named and 

 figured in 1831. The species was ignored by Audubon, who mistook 

 it for the summei' plumage of the common Golden-eye. It is the most 

 northerly species of the genus, having apparently a circuinpolai' dis- 



