44° GOLDEN-EYE. 



our Golden-eye is common in summer as far north as lat. 70^, even 

 where the trees — in which it makes its nest — are hardly large enough 

 to provide holes suitable for occupation ; while in Russia it breeds 

 regularly down to about lat. 58° ; and also, though sparingly, in 

 Holstein, Mark Brandenburg and East Prussia. Southward it is 

 found in cold weather on the inland waters and along the coasts of 

 Europe, but only severe winters drive it to the western portion of 

 the Mediterranean or to North Africa, though it is not unfrequent 

 in Greece, the Black Sea, and the Caspian district. Throughout 

 Asiatic Siberia it remains as long as it can find open water, and it 

 also inhabits the lakes, up to an elevation of 10,000 feet, of the 

 Pamir steppe, Kashgaria and Mongolia ; while on migration it 

 visits Japan, China, and, occasionally. Upper India. In North 

 America a larger form, identical in plumage, is found. 



The nest, when in a hollow tree or a hole previously tenanted by 

 a Black Woodpecker, often has the external opening so small that 

 a man's hand can with difficulty be inserted ; but in order to obtain 

 the eggs with greater ease the Lapps and Finns place boxes or hol- 

 lowed logs in convenient situations, especially in the neighbourhood 

 of falls and rapids, to which this bird seems partial. The eggs, 

 usually 10-12 or exceptionally 19 in number, are bright green when 

 unblown, though the colour fades : average measurements 2*4 by 

 1*6 in. The food, obtained by diving, consists of crustaceans and 

 molluscs, as well as sea-grass which is brought to the surface and 

 then eaten. The Golden-eye rises from the water with great rapidity, 

 and, from the noise produced during its flight, is often known by 

 the names of ' Rattle-wing ' and ' Whistler.' Wild hybrids between 

 it and the Smew have been obtained. 



The adult male has the head and neck glossy-green, the feathers 

 on the crown being slightly elongated ; a conspicuous white patch 

 at the base of the bill ; back black ; all the lower neck, scapulars, 

 alar speculum, and under parts white ; thighs dark brown ; legs 

 and toes yellow with blackish webs ; bill bluish-black ; irides golden- 

 yellow. In summer a plumage similar to that of the female is 

 assumed, but a little white remains at the base of the bill, and a 

 good deal on the speculum. Length 19 in. ; wing 9 in. Females 

 and young males have no white spot on the face ; the head is dark 

 brown and separated by a white collar from the greyish-brown neck 

 and shoulders ; the wing-coverts are tipped with black, so that the 

 white alar speculum is divided into three portions ; the back and 

 flanks are dark brown, and the belly is white. 



