THE GOLDEN EYE. 



523 



sportsman's gun, though little prized for the table. Fe- 

 males and young birds are most numerous in England, 

 while in Scotland flocks are often seen composed entirely 

 of males. They are very strong of flight, and are remark- 

 able for making with their wings as they cleave the air a 

 whistling sound, thought to resemble the tinkling of bells, 

 whence the German name die Schelle Ente, Bell Duck, the 



THE GOLDEN EYE. 



Norfolk provincial name Rattle- Wing, and the systematic 

 name Clangula. The young male does not make this noise, 

 and having also dissimilar plumage from the adult, has been 

 described by some authors as a distinct species under the 

 name of Morillon. 



The food of the Golden Eye varies with its haunts. In 

 estuaries it feeds on crustaceous and molluscous animals 



