522 ANATID^. 



" Arctic Ducks." They build their nests among rushes near 

 the shore of fresh-water lakes, and line them with down 

 from their breasts, like the Eider Duck. Iceland appears 

 to be the extreme southern limit of their breeding-ground. 

 The Long-Tailed Duck is described by Willughby under 

 the name of Anas ccmdacuta Islandica, by the natives 

 called Havelda. Selby and some other modern orni- 

 thologists have preserved the Iceland name in Harelda. 



THE HARLEQUIN DUCK. 



FULIGULA HISTRIONICA. 



Head and neck bluish black tinged with violet : a spot at the base ot tlie bill 

 on each side, another behind the eye, a stripe down the neck, a band across 

 the neck and another below the breast, and some of the scapulars, white ; 

 back and wings black, lustrous with violet and blue ; speculum deep violet ; 

 belly brown. Length seventeen inches. Female smaUer; upper plumage 

 dark brown, clouded with ash ; in front of the eyes a white spot, and a large 

 patch of white on the forehead. Eggs white. 



The Harlequin Duck, so called from the weU-defined 

 patches of colour by which it is marked, is nowhere so 

 abundant a species as the Long-Tailed Duck, and with us 

 is a very rare visitor. Its home is in the far north, from 

 whence a stray wanderer only occasionally finds its way to 

 our shores. In its habits it resembles the Scaup Duck. 



THE GOLDEN EYE. 



FULIGULA CLANGULA. 



A white patch under the eye ; head and neck black, lustrous with violet and 

 green ; back black ; scapulars, great wing-coverts, speculum, and under parts, 

 white; bill black ; irides golden yellow; feet orange, with black membranes. 

 Fevmle—a\\ the head and neck dark brown : feathers of the back dusky 

 bordered with dark ash ; greater wing-coverts white tipped with black ; 

 speculum and under parts white ; tip of the bill yellowish, irides and feet 

 pale yellow. Length eighteen and a half inches. Eggs bufty white. 



This pretty, active little Duck is a regular winter visitant 

 to the British shores, resorting to most of the localities 

 frequented by other species, and frequently falling to the 



