THE BARROW GOLDEN-EYE. 8oi 



because of the prominence of their snowy plumage they find themselves obliged 

 to maintain a wary ontlo(_)k wherever found. On salt water the l)irds venture 

 up on shore as often as tliey dare, and it is to be feared that thev are not 

 fastidious in the matter of their food. 2\Inssels, crabs, and marine worms 

 are commonly eaten, but that bugaboo of our beach-line, the (leca\ed salmon, 

 is also greedily de\-oure(l, and the l)irds soon becdme unfit for culinar\- 

 consideration. 



Tho chiefl}- a resident of northern and Arctic regions, the Whistler un- 

 doubtedly nests also in the vicinity of our own mountain lakes, especi.alh- along 

 the eastern slope of the Cascades. As in the case of \Vood Ducks, hollow trees 

 or old excavations of the Pileated \\'oodpecker are utilized, and the ca\itv is 

 warmly lined with dried grasses or lea\es, and pro\ided with a soft inner 

 cushion of down. The birds are early nesters, and the \'Oungsters lead a 

 merry, care-free life upon some mountain lakelet when tlie summer season is 

 just at its prime. A grou]) of four we siglited on Coon Lake were no sooner 

 made out than they jjaddled over in our direction, as curious as we were to see 

 the stranger. When their curiosity was satisfied, the jolly quartette resumed 

 their interrupted sport, which seemed to consist of a spirited game of tag. 

 Now the ducklings S])lashed and fioundered over the surface of the water, and 

 now they took wing, circling the \'alley half a dozen times in l)reathless jnirsnit. 

 After this they returned suddenly to plunge into the water, and so carried on 

 the unending chase in its emerald depths — all as ha])])_\- as children in C.rand- 

 pa's old barn. 



No. 322. 



BARROW'S GOLDEN-EYE. 



A. O. U, No. 152. Clangula islandica (Gmel.). 



Synonyms. — Wiiistlkr. Garrot. Rocky ]\rou.\T.\ix G.\rrot. 



Description. — .Idiilf male: Similar to preceding species, but gloss of head 

 strongly blue-black or jiurplish: a triangular loral white spot continuous with 

 base of bill on sides and exceeding it above and below ; white wing-patch crossed 

 b}' transverse bar of black ; and white of scapulars somewhat less extensive ; tip of 

 bill surrounding nail orange. Adult female: Presenting onlv trifling differences 

 from that of the preceding species; bill of slightlv different proportions, averaging 

 stubbier and with slightly broader nail : the tips of the greater eoi'erts blackish : 

 bill as in male. Size of preceding, but averaging nearer the larger dimensions. 

 L^pper mandible from frontal angle to edge of tomia .92 (23.4): from anterior 

 margin of white spot to anterior angle of nostril .88 (22.4) : from anterior angle 

 of nostril to tip of bill .64 (16.3) — (male). Similar dimensions of female .78 

 (19.8) : .73 ( iQ.i ) ; .70 ( 17.8). 



Recognition Marks. — jNIallard size ; black and white coloration ; triangular, 



