THE OOLDEN-EYE. 
2G3 
THE GOLDEN-EYE. 
Fidigula clangula. 
DIVING DUCK. 
This is another common winter visitor, making its first 
appearance in October, and remaining until the middle of April, 
when, others coming northwards, all take their homeward 
fliglit together. Some stay much later, but these, it would 
seem, very rarely breed. Thomas Edmondston says it appears 
to breed here,” and I am able to confirm his suspicion,_ having 
at the end of July seen a female and four young birds upon the 
loch of Belmont, from which locality eggs have been brought to 
me closely resembling the specimen figured by Mr Hewitson. 
Large flocks continue upon that piece of water during the whole 
winter ; and although for the last few summers none of the 
birds have remained, it is to be hoped that they will return to 
their former habit, now that more stringent regulations with 
regard to shooting and fishing there are in force. The Golden- 
eye does not wait for the frost to compel it to leave fresh water, 
but very often takes to the sea for choice, where it may be seen 
singly or in small flocks, but it is rarely that these exceed 
thirty individuals, and then indeed only during a frost of some 
severity. Ear more frequently single birds are met with, and 
.on sunny days it is very often to be seen quietly floating under 
the shelter of the rocks, with the head drawn back between the 
shoulders, in the full enjoyment of thorough repose. 
Messrs Baikie and Heddle say — “The female chiefly frequents 
lochs and fresh water, while the male may oftener be observed 
in the sea.” I have not remarked this in Shetland, but I 
think it will be found that, without any restriction as to age, 
the number of males in both cases always gveatly exceeds that 
of females. 
It flies quickly, but it is not a diflicult bird to shoot on wing. 
If a wounded Golden-eye, still capable of diving, happens to 
fall into the water, it is in most cases lost ; and to send a dog 
