OP THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 409 



Allied forms. — The Nearctic Golden-eyes have been separated from the 

 Palsearctic individuals by American ornithologists under the name of Glangula 

 glaucion americana, because they are said to be a trifle larger. Whether 

 this race is worthy of subspecific rank is yet by no means proved, Count 

 Salvador! asserting that he is unable to distinguish the two races specifically. 

 C. islandica, an inhabitant of much the same area in the Nearctic region as 

 C. glaucion, but extending to Greenland and Iceland. It is distinguished from 

 the Golden-eye by having the white on the sides of the head extending in the form 

 of a crescent in front of the eye : females and young birds are indistinguish- 

 able from those of the Old World species. This species has been included 

 in the British list on the faith of a female example, said to have been shot 

 at the mouth of the Derwent ! There is no evidence whatever to confirm this. 



Habits. — The Golden-eye is certainly more addicted to fresh water than 

 the sea, and so long as its inland haunts remain open it remains upon them ; 

 continued frost sends it to the coast, where it is most partial to low-lying 

 muds and estuaries. This Duck arrives on the British coasts and inland 

 waters about the middle of October and remains with us until the following 

 April, although immature birds have been noticed as late as the end of May. 

 Prjevalsky found small numbers of these birds wintering on Lake Hanka, on 

 the open part of the river Sungatch in Mongolia (N. lat. 44°) ; but late in 

 March and early in April they become very plentiful. At the large lake of 

 Koko-Nor (N. lat. 37°), situated at an elevation of 10,000 feet, they arrived on 

 the 4th of March and became numerous towards the middle of the month ; 

 whilst at Dalai-Nor (in N. lat. 43°) they arrived at the end of March and early 

 in April, congregating on those parts of the lake that were free from ice. The 

 migration south in autumn takes place in September and October. Stoliczka 

 observed numbers at Lake Sirikul, on the Pamir, at an elevation of 10,000 feet, 

 in May, when most of the water was covered with ice. From these facts it will 

 be gathered that the Golden-eye is a hardy species, apt to linger in its favourite 

 haunts until the frosts seal them and stop its food supplies, and returning 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 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 whisthng sound, hence the bird's Latin name of clangula. 

 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 



