334 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



emarginated inner, 3rd slightly outer webs. Innermost secondaries 

 comparatively short and pointed at tip, equal to or shorter than 

 6th or 7th primary. Scapulars with square tips, long ones slightly 

 pointed (appear not to differ in shape in eclipse). Tail rounded, 16 

 stiff feathers of moderate length . Bill shorter than head, higher than 

 broad at base, gradually depressed, decreasing in breadth towards 

 tip which is rounded ; nail, small, narrow, oblong and decurved. 

 Feathers of hinder-crown considerably elongated, most pronounced 

 in adult male, giving head a characteristically triangular appear- 

 ance. 



Soft parts. — Bill (ad. $) bluish-black, (ad. §} as male but a 

 yellow patch at tip of upper and under mandible surrounding nail, 

 nail and tip of lower mandible bluish-black, (juv. $ Oct.) dusky 

 brown- black suffused dull orange, brightest behind nasal opening 

 and on intercrural space, (juv. 5) bluish-black with no yellow patch 

 which makes its appearance sometimes as early as Dec. ; legs and 

 feet (ad. (J) pale orange, webs greyish -brown, (ad. $) brownish- 

 yellow, (juv. §) similar to adults but duller ; iris (ad. and juv. $) 

 bright yellow ; (ad. and juv. $) dull j^ellow. 



Characters and allied forms. — In B. c. americana (N. America) 

 male but not always female is larger. Adult males of B. islandica 

 (Iceland, Greenland, 1ST. America) are easily distinguished by large 

 crescentic white patch on lores, bifid tips of scapulars and flank- 

 feathers and other differences ; juvenile and 1st winter males have 

 median and lesser coverts darker, sometimes a few median coverts 

 with grey or greyish-white tips but apparently never tipped white 

 as in many B. c. clangula ; adult female has upper series of median 

 coverts with white tips narrower than in adult female B. c. clangula ; 

 1st winter females have median and lesser coverts more or less 

 uniform black-brown, a few median coverts with grey or greyish- 

 white tips ; wing longer than in B. c. clangula, viz., ad. $ 235-245, 

 ad. $ 210-223, juv. and 1st winter <J 222-235, first winter $ 

 209-215. Skull rises sharply from base of bill in ad. and juv. $ 

 instead of sloping gradually as in B. c. clangula, this character 

 hardly perceptible in most females, From other British ducks 

 adult male Goldeneye is distinguished by white eye -spot and 

 black and white plumage, adult female and juveniles have head and 

 neck uniform bistre -brown with no white marks as in female and 

 juvenile B. albeola. 



Field -characters. — Male looks vivid black and white, character- 

 istic circular white patch beneath eye usually visible without aid 

 of glasses. When bird is excited, neck is stretched upwards and head- 

 feathers puffed out, which gives head a peculiar and very character- 

 istic " swollen " appearance. Usually in twos and threes ; less 

 frequently in small parties of six or eight. Feeds close to shore, in 

 1-2 fathoms. Average duration of dive 25 J seconds (170 dives 

 timed). (C. E. Afford.) 

 Breeding-habits. — Haunts banks of wooded streams and lakes. 



