60 



DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 



Nest. Usually in a hollow tree, sometimes in a log or stump, lined with 

 down. Eggs : usually 9 to 12, light greenish. 



Although ranging practically over the whole of North America 

 the golden-eyes are rarely common. They are generally found in 

 small flocks on large lakes or rivers, where they dive for fresh 

 water weeds, mussels, and crustaceans. Their strong rapid flight 

 is accompanied by a loud whistling of the wings, which gives them 

 the common name of whistler. VERNON BAILEY. 



152. Clangula islandica (Gmel.). BARROW GOLDEN-EYE. 

 Similar to americana, but male with glossy blue black head, and tri- 

 angular or crescent-shaped spot at base of bill; female with head and 

 neck dark umber brown, white collar narrower, and white greater wing 

 coverts tipped with dusky ; nail of bill over .23 wide. Male : length 21- 

 23, wing 9.17, bill 1.75. "Female : wing 8.46, bill 1.56. 



Remarks. In many of the females the characters do not hold, and it 

 is difficult even with specimens of both species to name them all. 



Distribution. Northern North America, breeding from mountains of 

 Oregon, Colorado, and Gulf of St. Lawrence northward to Alaska and Green- 

 land ; south in winter to Illinois, Nebraska, Utah, and San Francisco Bay. 



Nest. In hollow trees. 



The Barrow golden-eye, though less common and less widely dis- 

 tributed in migration, breeds farther south than its near relative the 

 American golden-eye, nesting in the crater basin of Paulina Lake, 

 Oregon, and about many of the wild mountain lakes of the Rockies 

 as far south as Colorado. In winter it is able to remain as far north 

 as Minnesota or the Great Lakes by keeping in water that is too 

 deep or rapid to freeze. VERNON BAILEY. 



GENUS CHARITONETTA. 



153. Charitonetta albeola (Linn.). BDFFLE-HEAD. 



A plump little duck with short, pointed bill and round, crested head. 



Adult male : head, except 

 white patch, rich iridescent 

 purple, violet, and green ; 

 back and part of wings 

 black ; rump and tail gray ; 

 rest of plumage white. Adult 

 female : mainly grayish or 

 dusky, with a large white spot 

 on ear coverts and white patch 

 on middle of wing ; belly 

 white. Male : length 14.25- 

 15.25, wing 6.75-6.90, bill 

 1.10-1.15. Female : smaller. 

 Distribution. North 

 America, south in winter to 

 Mexico ; breeds from Maine, 

 Iowa, and British Columbia 

 Fig. 76. north to Alaska. 



