73 



Field Marks. Male can be told from the Scaups by its black back, and female by 

 its white chin and fine light eye-ring; and either, in adult plumage, by light ring on the 

 bill. 



Nesting. On the ground, near grassy ponds. 



Distribution. Scarce migrant in the east where it once nested occasionally; scarce 

 on Great Lakes. 



Genus — Clangula. Golden-eye. 



151. Golden-eye. whistle-wing, whistler, greathead. fr. — le bucephale 

 d'amerique. le plongeur. Clangula clangula. L, 20. A rather large, heavily built 

 Duck, strikingly coloured in black and white. The back and head are black; the remainder 

 of the plumage, including a very conspicuous circular spot between the eye and the bill, 

 and the wing-patch are white. The female and young male are marked with light greys 

 and blacks on the back, large white wing-patches, and a seal-brown head; the upperneck 

 usually strongly contrasted with white or grey neck and breast. 



Distinctions. In young and female plumages it may sometimes be confused with 

 the Redhead, Canvas-back, 1 or Scaups. In such plumages the lack of white face mark 

 or its restriction to the sides of the face will distinguish it from the Scaups; the white wing- 

 patches from the Redhead and Canvas-back. 



Field Marks. The striking black and white coloration of the male and the brown 

 head and lack of face markings of most juveniles and the females. The large head, short 

 neck, and loud whistling of the wings in flight are characteristic. 



Nesting. In stumps or hollow trees. 



Distribution. Golden-eyes inhabit most of the northern parts of the northern hemis- 

 phere. The American Golden-eye, the only New World representative of the species, is 

 generally distributed over most of Canada. A common migrant and locally a winter 

 resident in eastern Canada, breeding sparingly in the eastern provinces but more com- 

 monly in the northwest. 



SUBSPECIES. The Golden-eye is divided into two subspecific races: an Old World 

 and a New World form — the latter, the American Golden-eye, C. c. americana, being the 

 only one that occurs in America. 



One of the best known of the larger Ducks. A very hardy bird remain- 

 ing in our waters until they close with ice. 



152. Barrow's Golden-eye. fr. — le bucephale d'islande. Glaucionetta islandica. 

 L, 20. Like the American Golden-eye, but the male has a crescent-shaped instead of a 

 circular face spot. The head glossed with purple instead of green and the bill relatively 

 higher at the base. 



Distinctions. Males easily separated from the Golden-eye as above, but young birds 

 and femJes of the two species more difficult to distinguish and shape of bill perhaps only 

 reliable guide. Young males can be recognized by a slight lump in the forehead just at 

 base of bill, which though not visible through the plumage can be plainly felt with the 

 finger. 



Field Marks. Exceptional circumstances may allow some of the abote points to be 

 recognized in life. 



Nesting. In stumps or hollow trees when possible, otherwise probably in rock cavities 

 or on the ground. 



Distribution. A bird of very unusual distribution; common on the eastern and 

 western coasts but absent from most of the great interior; eastern birds probably breed 

 in northern Quebec. 



This is a more northern species than the former which it closely 

 resembles in habits as well as appearance. 



Genus — Charitonetta. Buffle-head. 



153. Buffle-head. spirit duck, butterball. fr. — le petit bucephale. Char- 

 itonetta albeola. L, 14- 75. A very small Duck, almost as diminutive as the Teal, but 

 coloured in striking contrasts of black and white. Male: white below and around base 

 of neck, black above with an iridescent black head broken by a large white triangular 

 patch with apex below the eye meeting its fellow along the nape. The feathers of the 

 cheeks lengthened, making puffs on the sides of the face, hence its name. Female: white 

 below and dull brownish grey elsewhere except for a vague white spot on each cheek. 



1 See footnote, p. 64. 



