696 COURTSHIP OF DUCKS AND NOTES ON HYBRIDS. 
display, namely, that of quickly throwing back the head so 
that the back of the head touches the back of the bird. 
The spring display of the Goldeneye is by far the “showiest” 
and most interesting of all British ducks. Last February, 
while in South Uist, I had the great treat for the first time in 
my life of seeing wild Goldeneyes in full display. I cannot 
do better in describing the Goldeneyes’ courtship than quote 
Mr. Millais writing on the subject. He says: — “The male 
approaches the female with his head stiffly at an angle of 60° 
to 75°, the feathers on the cheeks being much puffed out. He 
swims, sometimes with raised tail, in a semicircle round her, 
gradually elevating the bill until it is quite perpendicular. The 
third action is to drop the head, still more puffed out, suddenly 
between the shoulders, the bill still pointing heavenwards, and 
to kick once alternately with both feet so as to throw a jet of 
water high in the air behind the bird. At the moment of 
throwing back the head the call ‘ keek-kee ’ is emitted, but 
sometimes it is given after the kick. During this show the 
female is either lying low on the water with neck depressed, 
or she is advancing towards her mate with neck and head out- 
stretched, and somewhat similar in attitude to that of the 
male.” (British Diving-ducks, Vol. I., pp. 92-93). The fore- 
going is Mr. Millais’ account of the courtship of the Goldeneye, 
but I have frequently seen male Goldeneyes suddenly throw 
back their heads so that the backs of their heads rest for a 
moment between their shoulders, but when this action is 
accompanied by the “ kick-up,” the backs of their heads do 
not quite touch the shoulders. 
Mr. Millais continues : — “ Another curious thing the male 
Goldeneye does, after pairing with the female, is to make a 
mad rush along the surface of the water for 15 or 20 yards. 
Whilst doing this the breast is held high out of the water, and 
head depressed backwards with bill up in the air. He makes 
the water fly in all directions, and not infrequently makes his 
rush at any other duck that may happen to be near.” 
[Ibid, p. 93.] 
My friend Mr. Gerald Legge was, I believe, the first to 
