OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 423 



as soon as open water is to be found. The Golden-eye is 

 not a very gregarious bird, and its flocks are generally small, 

 but in restricted feeding areas it is apt to congregate in larger 

 numbers. Like all its congeners it dives with wonderful skill, 

 swims well and lightly, but is apt to sink its body lower when 

 alarmed. Its flight is strong and rapid, and the bird usually 

 strikes its feet in the water several times until fairly off, especially 

 when there is no wind ; then, however, it is seen to get up with 

 little effort. The wings as they rapidly beat the air make a 

 peculiar rushing whistling sound, hence the bird's specific name 

 of dangula. This Duck almost invariably seeks to escape 

 sudden danger by diving and appearing again at a much safer 

 distance. It is ever a vigilant bird, and even when a small 

 flock is busy feeding, they never all dive together, one or two 

 remaining on the surface to watch over the rest. The Golden- 

 eye does not visit the land much, and there its waddling gait is 

 clumsy and awkward enough ; it spends most of its time on the 

 water. At its breeding grounds, however, it frequently perches 

 on trees, probably because it makes its nest in holes in their 

 limbs and trunks. The note of the Golden-eye is a low, croaking 

 kurr, uttered during flight as well as when at rest. The food 

 of this species, which is mostly obtained by diving, consists of 

 small fish, crustaceans, testaceous mollusks, insects, and various 

 aquatic weeds and plants. Its flesh is not only dark in colour 

 but unpalatable. 



Nidification. — The breeding season of the Golden-eye begins 

 soon after the ice breaks up in its Arctic and subarctic haunts 

 towards the end of May, and the eggs are laid from that date 

 onwards until near the end of June. It is very probable that 

 this Duck pairs for life and uses the same nesting site annually. 

 The eggs are laid in holes of trees, often as much as twenty-five 

 feet from the ground, although Naumann asserts (probably where 

 suitable holes cannot be found) that this Duck frequently makes 

 its nest amongst rushes and other aquatic vegetation, and on 

 the top of a pollard, either near the water or at some considerable 

 distance from it. When in a hole, no nest is made beyond a 

 warm and plentiful lining of down and a few feathers plucked 

 from the body of the parent. It should be remarked that the 



