224 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



occurred. That drakes are plentiful enough (though 

 immature) is shown by the weights of those shot, thus : — 



Ducks (young) .... average I lb. 4 oz. 



Ducks (adults) . . . . „ 1 lb. 12 oz. 



Drakes (young) .... „ 2 lb. 4 oz. 



The irides of both the latter are golden, those of the 

 smaller birds (the "morillons" of Colquhoun) being 

 brown. The adult duck is more boldly parti-coloured, her 

 wing-coverts and scapulars being splashed with white, 

 and her neck also much whiter. Golden-eyes, shot inland, 

 are excellent eating, less oily than most wigeon. They 

 are usually very silent ; but occasionally utter a low, 

 harsh, corvine quack. 



To prevent misconception, it should be added that 

 adult drakes, though absent in autumn, show up in early 

 spring. Towards the end of March, I have seen them in 

 numbers (Crag lough may be mentioned as a favourite 

 resort in Northumberland, and Hoselaw in Roxburgh- 

 shire), and they then acquire that resonant rattle, or 

 rustle, in their flight that may be heard a quarter of a 

 mile away. 



I shot an adult golden-eye drake on the Tweed, 

 October 19th, 1888. At that date, the white cheek-patch 

 and neck were still slightly obscured with dusky feathers — 

 a phase of plumage rarely met with. A month later 

 (November 12th), I killed another drake on Tweed — 

 younger, and less complete in plumage. The diving-ducks 

 take several years to attain full maturity. 



Of the pochard we have not a single autumn record. 

 In Roxburghshire, as already shown, it breeds regularly 

 in small numbers, and the young fly by August. Hence 

 it may be inferred that this species leaves us immediately 

 after the nesting-season. A similar remark applies to the 



