THE GOLDENEYE AND BUFFEL-HEAD. 109 



with other fowl. Scaup or Pochard that may have 

 been under water at the moment of firing, after 

 finishing their dive for food at leisure, will startle 

 the fowler by rising close to him as he pushes up to 

 gather his cripples. Goldeneyes seem to know when 

 their companions are leaving the surface in fright, 

 and will at once spring up and follow to join the rest. 

 I never knew them incautiously rise within range 

 after a shot, like the other species alluded to. They 



THE BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK (i) AND GOLDENEYE (2). 



are late in arriving, and are not found in any 

 number till the middle of December. They leave 

 with the Scaup and Pochard about the end of 

 March or first week of April, flying down to the tide, 

 and collecting there ere starting for their breeding 

 haunts. They are more or less common round the 

 coast of Ireland and, like Pochard, frequent inland 

 lakes in considerable numbers. 



When observing Goldeneyes through a good glass, 

 I have more than once plainly distinguished among 



