BARROW'S GOLDEN-EYE 333 



hard one wants to look for them. I do not doubt that one out of every four or five 

 hundred of the common sort may belong to this species. The small numbers brought 

 in as specimens mean nothing, for few native shooters know anything about this 

 duck, and now that our markets are closed, the bird men get no chance to look over 

 the spoils of the shore shooters. 



In Iceland the bird is extremely abundant and its eggs have such a high value that 

 it is protected, and its nest systematically robbed. Strange to say this practice does 

 not seem to have any ill effects on this or other species. 



Enemies. In Iceland Richardson's Skua is undoubtedly the chief enemy. A Fal- 

 con (Falco rusticolus islandus) kills a few adult birds of all the diving ducks. The 

 large White-tailed Eagle in that region does not seem able to catch healthy adults, 

 but fives on fish and possibly on crippled ducks unable to fly (Millais, 1913). 

 Hantzsch (1905) says the Iceland birds are much pestered by large swift lice and 

 by leeches. No doubt on the coast of southern Alaska the White-headed Eagle preys 

 on this as on other species of ducks during the winter. 



Damage. On the coast of British Columbia there is no doubt that this duck is 

 destructive to salmon eggs on the spawning grounds in late autumn (see under Food). 



Food Value. The flesh is not different from that of the Common Golden-eye; 

 on fresh water and in early autumn they may be of fair flavor. The eggs are much 

 prized by the Icelanders and, like those of the Common Golden-eye in other places, 

 are spoken of as "very tasty," bringing a higher price than the eggs of any other Ice- 

 land duck. 



Hunt. The few specimens that are taken on the North Atlantic coast are killed 

 over decoys by shore shooters who are after Common Golden-eye. 



Behavior in Captivity. H. A. MacPherson (1894) appears to have been the 

 first to attempt the rearing of these birds. His efforts met with complete failure. 

 Mr. St. Quintin told me that he once succeeded in rearing one or two from eggs im- 

 ported from Iceland and that he presented them to the London Gardens. In the 

 spring of 1923 Mr. Hugh Wormald hatched five out of a setting of eggs gathered from 

 wild birds in Iceland. He reared four, all drakes, and he told me that they gave him 

 very little trouble; he fed them a good deal of chopped liver. Two of the four he kept, 

 but the other two escaped. The next spring he was even more successful and I saw 

 some newly hatched young on a visit to his place in late July, 1924. 



Hybrids. No hybrids have ever been recorded. It is doubtful whether crosses 

 with the Common Golden-eye could be distinguished, excepting possibly in the male 

 sex with the aid of anatomical investigation. 



