GOLDEN -EYE. 177 



Species are golden-eye, from its yellow iris ; conjuring 

 and spirit duck, from the rapidity with which it dives ; 

 brass-eye and brass-eyed whistler, whistle-wing, merry- 

 wing, great-head, bull-head, iron-head, cob-head and 

 cub-head. 



While the whistler is one of our most beautiful ducks, 

 it is not highly regarded by those who have an oppor- 

 tunity to kill better fowl, and, like the little dipper and 

 ruddy duck and the mergansers, it is often allowed to 

 pass over the decoys without being shot at. It is not a 

 bird that decoys readily, and, as a rule, offers little 

 sport ; but at many points in New England and Canada, 

 where better ducks are rare, its pursuit offers some 

 reward to the gunners. 



