GOLDEN-EYE. 



593 



are slate-grey, each feather witli an obscure white margin; the rest of the 

 underparts are pure white ; axilhirics and under wing-coverts brown. It 

 is a much smaller bird than the male, measuring an inch less in len"-th of 

 wing. Young in first plumage closely resemble adult females, but are 

 somewhat duller in colour, the pale ring round the neck is much more 

 obscure, the feathers on the breast have white margins, and the feathers 

 round the thighs are brown. There is no white on the wing-coverts of the 

 female ; but in the male they are somewhat more white than in the adult 

 female. The males are further distinguished by their larger size. Males 

 in first nuptial dress have less white on the scapulars; the white on the 

 hind neck is mottled with brown, as is also the white spot on the 

 lores. Males in moulting-plumage resemble adult females, except tliat 

 they retain the whiter wing of the adult male. Young in down arc dark 

 brown on the upper parts, and paler brown on the breast and flanks, shading- 

 into wliite on the throat, and into pale grey on the belly. 



Barrow's Golden-eye {Fuligula islandica) is included in '^ The Ibis' list 

 of British birds, in large type, without brackets, w liicli, upon reference to 

 the preface, will be found to signify that the species is " regarded as posi- 

 tively authenticated as British." It is stated that " one was shot at the 

 mouth of the Derwent, out of a flock of five, in the winter of 18G3-64 (Zool. 

 ISGJ', p. 9038). ■" The further information is added that this species is 

 " found only in the northern portions of the Palaearctic and Nearctic 

 E.egions.^'' In reference to these quotations I have to remark, first, that 

 the only portion of the Palcearctic Region where Barrow's Golden-eye has 

 been found is Iceland ; second, that the information of its occurrence in 

 Britain is given on the authority of Graham, the York bird-stufler, who 

 is known to have been unreliable; third, the alleged specimen is stated to 

 be a female, which so nearly resembles the female Golden-eye that Baird, 

 Brewer, and Ridgway are obliged to acknowledge their inability to give 

 infallible points of distinction ; fourth, I cannot find any record of the 

 bird having been shot out of a flock of five; but the Committee may have 

 had access to information which I have not been able to discover. Comment 

 is needless !! 



Barrow's Golden-eye also breeds in hollow trees ; but in localities where 

 these are not so be found, it conceals its nest in cracks and crevices of the 

 rocks or in holes in turf walls. 



