Barrow's Golden-Eye 
99 
of the bill. At birth the two species seem to be very much the same size, but the bill 
of Barrow's Golden-Eye thicker and stronger ; the feet also are of greyish-green colour 
with grey-black webs, whilst those of the Common Golden-Eye are yellowish with grey- 
black webs. Further description is unnecessary, as Mr. Gronvold's picture illustrates both 
species correctly. 
Immature Female. — Head and upper neck, brown ; mantle, scapulars, and sides of the 
chest, brown, with grey edges ; wing-coverts, black, with slight purple sheen ; flanks, dark 
brown with grey edgings ; upper chest, brown, edged with greyish-white ; thighs, brown ; 
under parts, white ; tail, back, and primaries, brownish-black ; wing similar to immature 
female Golden-Eye. Eye and legs similar to adult female, only less decided in colour. 
Iris, olive-yellow to greenish-yellow. The immature female Barrow's Golden-Eye can 
always be distinguished from the Golden-Eye by its superior size, larger crest on the head, 
and richer markings. In February or March a moult commences in which the white neck- 
collar is attained, and the plumage afterwards undergoes the course of plumage of the 
female Golden-Eye, attaining maturity and full plumage in October, that is to say, at fifteen 
months. 
Adult Female. — The colour of the head and upper neck of the adult female Barrow's 
Golden-Eye varies considerably. In some individuals, probably those who have just 
reached maturity, it is a rich dark brown ; in others it is blackish brown with a lighter tint 
on the front of the crown ; the crest is much longer and more abundant than that of 
the Common Golden-Eye, and it has a slight purplish tint. The lower neck has a pure 
white collar ; mantle and chest, brown with light grey edges ; scapulars, blackish brown 
with light grey edges ; wing-coverts, primaries, back, and tail almost black ; flanks, 
brownish grey with white edgings ; thighs, brown ; under parts, white ; a few dark 
feathers about the vent and tail-coverts ; central secondary feathers, white, with outer ones 
black ; secondary coverts, black on upper half, white below, striped with black ; upper parts 
of the wing, smoky-black, edged with white. Feet and legs, yellow, with black webs ; 
irides, ^yellow, inclined to straw colour in spring. Bill : as in the Common Golden-Eye, 
there is a rich yellow mark behind the nail, but the extent of this varies greatly in 
individuals. In most examples it is small and only extends as far as the front of the 
nostril ; in others it passes half-way up the bill below the nostril, the rest of the bill is 
bluish-black. On the lower mandible the yellow space extends over the greater part behind 
the black nail. As some confusion may take place between the female of this species 
and the Golden-Eye, I give the average measurements of both species. 
The characters of the female Barrow's Golden-Eye, apart from superior size, are the 
black back and tail, blackish head and longer crest, and general difference of a more 
intensified black and white. The yellow bill-spot is also more extensive. 
Mr. Allan Brooks informs me that according to his experience the iris of the adult 
Barrow's Golden-Eye. 
Female. Inches. 
Golden-Eye. 
Female. Inches. 
Total length 
Wing 
Beak 
Tarso-metatarsus 
19 
9 
1.25 
1.5 
18 
8 
1-3 
1-3 
