GOLDEN EYE. 



/'^IRCUMPOLAR in its distribution, and ranging 

 throughout the whole of Xorth America from the 

 Arctic Sea to the island of Cuba in the south, and from 

 the Atlantic coast across the continent to the Pacific, the 

 Golden Eye is among the best known of our Ducks. It 

 breeds from about the parallel of Massachusetts north- 

 ward to the Arctic circle in the interior, and is rare upon 

 the coast, though in some of the Aleutian Islands a few 

 remain all winter. It is a hardy bird and able to with- 

 stand severe cold. The Golden Eye breeds in the hol- 

 lows of trees, the entrance often appearing to be absurdly 

 small for the size of the Duck, but like other web-footed 

 tree-nesting species it finds no difficulty in entering its 

 chosen abode. The eggs are a pale grayish green color, 

 and from six to eight seem to be the full complement. 

 This beautiful Duck is known to many as the "Whistler," 

 and beside this name it is called Spirit Duck, Whistle 

 Wing, WhifBer, Great Head, Bull Head, and Plongeur 

 in Louisiana. Its principal appellation, of Whistler, is 

 given on account of the shrill noise the wings make 

 when the bird is flying; a sound so sharp and penetrating 

 that the species is indicated long before it comes clearly 

 into view. 



The Golden Eye rises directly from the water, but not 

 with a spring like the Mallard or Dusky Duck, flying low 

 at first, but rapidly rising until it has attained a lofty 

 altitude, when it moves on in a straight line, and, from 

 the first motion made to leave the water, the loud 



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