170 GAME BIBDS OF CALIFORNIA 



The Golden-eye has not been found breeding in California. Being 

 a distinctly cold-loving species, in summer as well as in winter, it 

 nests almost entirely in the far north. As it requires hollow trees for 

 nesting sites, its breeding range is of course limited to those areas 

 where trees are found. It breeds commonly in the interior of Alaska, 

 but is very rarely seen along the coast. The Golden-eye has been 

 found breeding in southern British Columbia so close to the American 

 line that it probably will be found to breed in northern Washington 

 (Cooke, 1906, p. 49). Brooks (1903, p. 279) states that in the Cariboo 

 district, British Columbia, it is seen during migrations but has not 

 been found to nest there. The principal breeding grounds are in 

 central Canada, but it has also been found nesting in the extreme 

 north-central and northeastern United States, as far south as northern 

 New York. 



More has been written on the life-history of the Golden-eye than 

 on that of many of the commoner ducks. Unfortunately, however, 

 little or none of this information pertains to the Pacific Coast. "We 

 can only infer a general similarity in behavior on the part of our 

 birds. 



The Whistler is noted for its extraordinary mating antics. C. W. 

 Townsend (1910, pp. 177-178) describes the typical courtship of 

 this duck, as seen in Massachusetts, as follows: 



One or more males swim restlessly back and forth and around a female. 

 The feathers of the cheeks and crest of the male are so erected that the 

 head looks large and round, the neck correspondingly small. As he swims 

 along the head is thrust out in front close to the water, occasionally dabbing 

 at it. Suddenly he springs forward, elevating his breast, and at the same 

 time he enters on the most typical and essential part of the performance. The 

 neck is stretched straight up, and the bill, pointing to the zenith, is opened 

 to emit a harsh, rasping double-note, zzee-at, vibratory and searching in 

 character. The head is then quickly snapped back until the occiput touches 

 the rump, whence it is brought forward again with a jerk to the normal 

 position. As the head is returned to its place the bird often springs forward 

 kicking the water in a spurt out behind, and displaying like a flash of flame 

 the orange-colored legs. 



Brewster (1911y pp. 22-30) has noted no less than six typical 

 poses which are successively assumed while the males are displaying 

 themselves before the females. The love note is described as a short, 

 flat, vibrant paaap, accompanied by an upward kick of the feet which 

 sends up a slender shower of water behind. There were often as 

 many as nine males courting one female and yet the usual jealousy 

 to be noted among males of other species of ducks appeared to be 

 wholly lacking. 



Brewster has made an extensive study of the nesting habits of 

 the Golden-eye at Lake Umbagog, Maine. In the course of his admir- 

 able account, he states (1900, pp. 208-209) : 



