GOLDEN-EYE. 439 



diameter, and lined with the soft down of the bird, the 

 external opening was so small that it was with difficulty the 

 hand could be inserted. The eggs laid by the same female 

 are said to vary in number according to the age of the bird, 

 the old ones laying fewer, but finer and larger eggs, than the 

 younger ones ; but where more than ten or twelve are found 

 in the same nest — and up to nineteen are recorded by Mr. 

 Dresser — it may reasonably be supposed that another female 

 contributed. The colour when fresh is often a very bright 

 green or bluish-green ; average measurements of the egg, 

 2-4 by 1-6 in. 



The Ornithological Society of London retained a female 

 Golden-eye on the lake in St. James's Park for two years, 

 where she associated constantly with a male Smew ; and 

 in ' Isis,' 1829, p. 400, Mr. Eimbeck describes an apparent 

 hybrid between a male Golden -eye and a female Smew. 

 Although kept in the Zoological Gardens since 1832, 

 Golden-eyes have not been known to breed there, either 

 inter se or with other species. G. St. Hilaire has described 

 the hybrid offspring resulting from the union of the Golden- 

 eye and the American Wood Duck. 



Sir E. Payne-Gallwey says that Golden-eyes are ahvays 

 wary birds, seldom paddling away from a punt, but rising at 

 a long distance when pursued. They do not swim low and 

 buried, like Scaup and Pochard, on any occasion, except 

 when wounded ; and they frequently, especially in windy 

 weather, fly restlessly to and fro. The wings being short 

 and stiff in proportion to the weight and size of the bird, 

 are beaten so quickly as to produce a distinct whistling 

 sound, whence the names of ' Piattle-wing ' and ' Whistler.' 

 On rising from a dive, the Golden-eye seems to have the 

 power of taking wing with the impetus of the upward 

 movement, without tarrying a few seconds on the surface of 

 the water to recover breath. 



The adult male in winter and spring has the bill bluish- 

 black ; the irides golden -yellow ; at the base of the upper 

 mandible a roundish white patch ; head, and sides of the 

 neck, rich glossy green, the feathers on the occiput a little 



