BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 



129 



GOLDEN-EYE (Clangula dangula americana) . 

 Common or local names: Whistler; Greathead. 



FeIiIALE. 



Male. 



Length. — 17 to 20 inches. 



AduU Male. — Head and upper neck dark green (appearing black in the 

 field except at close range in good light); slightly crested; a roundish 

 ' spot below and in front of eye white; middle of back and tail black; 

 entire under parts (except throat), neck all round and sides of upper 

 back white; wing quills black, much of them covered with white of 

 fore wing when closed, wing showing a broad patch of white when 

 spread; iris yellow; bill blackish, tipped with orange; feet orange or yel- 

 low, with dusky webs. 



AduU Female. — Head and upper neck cinnamon brown, with no white spot; 

 back and wide band across breast dark grayish brown; ring around 

 neck whitish, also rest of under parts; wing showing considerable 

 white, both when closed and when open; iris yellow; bill brown, yellow 

 or orange toward tip; feet yellowish, webs dusky. 



Young Male. — Less gray on breast and indications of a white spot before eye. 



Field Marks. — Male, conspicuous black and white, stocky; the dark, large, 

 fluffy head, with rounded white spot before eye, distinguishes it. 

 Female, a snuff colored head, unmarked; readily distinguished from 

 the Redhead by the white on wing and yellow tip of bill. The sharp, 

 high, whistling sound of their flight is characteristic. 



Notes. — A low croak (Chapman). The male, when startled or lost, a 

 sharp cur-r-rew (Eaton). The female a single whistling peep; a low- 

 pitched quack to call young (Knight). 



Nest. — In hollow tree or stump. 



