BAKROW'S GOLDEN-EYE. 453 



DESCRIPTION OK NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in holes of trees, composed of grass, weeds, feathers, etc. Eyyi, six to ten in number, spherical in 

 firm, and ashy-green in color. Dimensions from I'75x2'35 to r80x2'40. 



HABITS. 



The Golden-eyes come to us late in autumn, remaining through the winter. They 

 frequent the mouths of rivers which empty into the ocean, flying in to feed at low tide, 

 then at high water, retreating into the hays, where, excepting during very severe storms, 

 they pass the night. During winter, when the rivers are nearly always frozen over, these 

 Ducks resort to the rifts, made in the ice by the eddying tide where the water is open. 

 They are always shy birds, rising at the slightest indication of danger and flying out to 

 sea, making as they go, a whistling noise with their wings, which is distinctly audible some 

 distance, and which has given them the name of Whistle Wings among sportsmen. The 

 Golden-eyed Ducks breed in Northern New England, nesting in holes of trees which stand 

 along the borders of lakes and rivers. 



BUCEPHAiA ISLANDICA. 



Barrow's Golden-eye. 

 Bucephala hlandica B.URD, Birds N. A., 1858, 796. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Si-. CH. Form, robust. Size, large. Larynx, dilated in center, where it is capable of extension and contraction. 

 Bill, short. COLOR. Adult male. Head and upper neck all around, and upper parts, black glossed with violet.* Triangu- 

 lar pa ti-h at base of upper mandible, line through wing, interrupted by a black hand, lower neck, and under portion, white. 

 Feathers of sides, tipped with black. Scapularies, rounded at tip, with a pointed projection on one or both sides, and a 

 triangular spot on rounded tip is white. Axillaries, under wing coverts, and tibia, brown. Iris, orange, bill, black, and 

 feet, yellow. Adult female. Brown above and on sides, darkest on head: while below. Otherwise similar to adult male. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Knnwn by' the triangular patch at base of short bill and peculiar truncated scapularies. Distributed, in summer, in 

 the far North; wintering from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to New York. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens. Length, 2T50; stretch, :U - 50; wing, 9'00; tail, 3'75; bill, 1'45; tarsus, 1-50. 

 I-onirost specimen, 22 00; greatest extent of wing, 33'00; longest wing, 9 50; tail, 4'00; bill, 1'50; tarsus, 1'60. Shortest 

 sp-( imen, -21-00; smallest extent of wing, SO'OO; shortest wing, 8-50; tail, 3'50; bill, 1'4H; tarsus, 1'40. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in holes of trees, composed (.f sticks, weeds, feathers, etc. Eyyf, from six to ten in number, elliptical in 

 form, ashy-green in color. Dimensions from 1 '70x2-40 to 1-75x2-45. 



HABITS. 



Barrow's Golden-eye is an extremely rare bird on the coast; so rare, in fact, that I 

 never met with a living specimen, but some are usually taken every season, for a few find 

 their way into the Boston markets. Judging from published accounts, this species does 

 not ditTer in habits from the preceding Duck. 



BUCEPHALA ALBEOLA. 



Baffle-head. 



Bucephala a/beo/a BD., Birds N. A. 1858, 797. 

 DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cn. Form, mbust. Size. <=mall. COLOR. Adult male. Head, upper neck and upper portions, hlack, becoming 

 hoary "n upper tail covert-, and glossed with green and violet on the two first. Triangular patch back of eye, broad line 

 t hn ninli winir, and under parts, white. Iris, brown, bill, black, feet, yellow. Adult frma/r. Smoky brown alt >u-. ' 

 ing white Mow. There i< a white patch on side of head and another small one on wing. Youny. Similar to ao'ult l<-:iml<' 

 but the white mill-kings of the males are more extended. 



