GOLDEN-EYE 131 



It is easily tamed and the adult male in full plumage is 

 strikingly ornamental on aquatic preserves. 



Geographical distribution. This bird breeds in great 

 numbers in Northern Europe and Asia, but only very 

 sparingly beyond the forest growth. In Russia, it nests 

 as far south as lat. 58 N. On migration it visits the seas 

 and inland waters of Central and Southern Europe and Asia, 

 while wanderers occasionally reach N. Africa. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Head and upper neck, 

 glossy-black, reflecting shades of dark green ; feathers on 

 the top of the head form a short, thick crest ; below and in 

 front of the eye is a noticeable white patch ; rest of neck, 

 wing-coverts, breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts, white ; 

 flanks, brownish-grey ; back and upper tail-coverts, black ; 

 primaries, dark brown ; scapulars, black interspersed with 

 white ; tail brownish-black. 



Adult male, post-nuptial or eclipse. Resembles the 

 female dress, but the white patch at the base of the beak 

 does not altogether disappear, and much of the white on 

 the wings is retained. 



Adult female nuptial. Head and upper neck, dark nut- 

 brown ; below this is a pale whitish-brown collar ; rest of 

 neck and upper breast, greyish-brown ; back and sides, dark 

 brown shading to dusky greyish-black ; much of the white 

 on the wing-coverts in the male is replaced by dark brown 

 shading to black ; lower breast and abdomen, white. 



Adult winter, male and female. Similar to the respective 

 nuptial plumages. 



Immature, male and female. Resembles the female 

 plumage. 



BEAK. Dull bluish-black. 



FEET. Yellow ; webs, blackish. 



IBIDES. Bright golden-yellow. 



AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH 18'5 in. 



WING 8-25 



BEAK 1-4 ,, 



TARSO-METATARSUS T5 ,, 



EGG 2-4 xT6 in. 



