THE GOLDEN-EYE DUCK. 157 



second, some Idotetd, a Littorina lUtorca, and a few fish-scales -^ a 

 third was entirely filled with Icloteai.'\ A fourth (an adult female shot 

 at the end of January 1849) contained 218 beautifully perfect 

 and fresh-looking shells of Lacuna quadrifasclata, and 19 equally 

 fine and perfect ones of Rissoa labiosa, all the specimens of both 

 being full-grown or nearly so. Besides, there were above a dozen 

 of Montacuta purpurea, and single specimens of our two common 

 species of Littorina. A number of broken shells of the two 

 first-named species were also present. An adult male bird, 

 killed a few days afterwards, exliibited a mass of decomposed 

 shells. They all contained sand or gravel. In a bird brought 

 from Westmeath to Dublin were (according to Dr. C. Earran) 

 several species jof fresh-water shells, above twenty of Linmeus 

 pereger (nearly all the variety called. Galnaria lacustris, by Dr. 

 Leach), a Linmeiis fossarius, with Anci/his fluviatilis, and Neritina 

 flnviatilis ; there was likewise some vegetable matter. A corre- 

 spondent mentions, as favourite food of the golden-eye, very 

 small leeches {Hiruclines), with which he has found the bill filled. 

 The golden-eye is widely spread over the coasts and inland 

 waters; is common in the north-west of Donegal; J in Dublin 

 Bay; and is frequently brought from inland localities to the 

 market of the metropolis, — old males, however, being very rarely 

 seen there. According to Mr. J. Poole, this bird is plentiful during 

 some winters in Wexford harbour. On the 11th of February he 

 once noted^in reference to tliis place : — " The golden-eyes are now 

 to be met with in small parties of eiglit to twenty or more. They 



* This is the only instance in which I have ohserved the remains of fish, of 

 which, Mr. Yarrell remarks, their food principally consists. This varies, of course, 

 in different localities. The scaup and tufted ducks are also mentioned by this author 

 as feeding on small fish, the remains of which I have never met with in them, 

 and rarely are they found in any species of duck in the north of Ireland, exclusive 

 of the genus Mergus. 



t The mention of these Crustacea reminds me of Audubon's having witnessed 

 the extraordinary partiality of some of these birds to a certain locality in a North 

 American river, and ascertained by shooting some of them that the attraction was 

 cray-fish. A full and interesting description of the habits of the golden-eye will be 

 found in the 4th volume of this author's ' Ornithological Biography,' p. 320. 



X Mr. J. V. Stewart. 



