132 ANATIDZE 



Allied Species and Representative Forms. C. islandica 

 (Barrow's Golden-eye), a larger bird, the male of which has 

 a more fully-developed crest and more purple shading on 

 the head, is the representative in Iceland and Greenland, 

 while a larger form with no difference in plumage from our 

 bird, inhabits North America (Saunders). 



BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK. Clangula albeola (Linnaeus). 



Coloured Figures. Dresser, Birds of Europe,' vol. vi, pi. 439 ; 

 Lilford, ' Coloured Figures,' vol. vii, pi. 49. 



This beautiful little bird, smaller than the Golden-eye, 

 but somewhat similar to it in markings, is an inhabitant 

 of the New World. There are but four substantiated 

 records of its occurrence in Britain, the specimens secured 

 being all males. One was obtained in the winter of 1830 

 at Yarmouth ; it is preserved in the Norwich Museum 

 (Lubbock, ' Fauna of Norfolk ') ; another in January, 1865, 

 from the Loch of Loriston, Aberdeenshire ; a third " many 

 years ago" from the Loch of Strathbeg; this specimen 

 is preserved in the Banff Museum (Gray, ' Birds of West 

 Scotland'). The fourth was taken in the winter of 1864- 

 1865, at Bridlington, Yorkshire, and is now in the collection 

 of Mr. Whitaker, of Eainworth. 



As yet no examples have been recorded from Ireland. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Top of head and 

 throat, glossy purplish-black ; forehead and back of neck, 

 metallic greenish-black ; a large white patch behind 1 the 

 eye extends to the back of the head and forms a crest ; 

 a white collar round the lower neck, becomes continuous 

 with the white of the breast and abdomen ; back and inner 

 secondaries, black ; scapulars, outer secondaries, and wing- 

 coverts, white, the last interspersed with black ; tail, grey ; 

 coverts, darker. 



1 In the Golden-eye, this white patch is situated in front of the 

 eye. 



