BARROW'S GOLDEN-EYE. 
453 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed in holes of trees, composed of grass, weeds, feathers, etc. Eggs, six to ten in number, spherical in 
form, and ashy-green in color. Dimensions from l , 75x2 , 35 to l'80x2'40. 
HABITS. 
The Golden-eyes come to us late in autumn, remaining through the winter. They 
frequent the mouths of rivers which empty into the ocean, flying in to feed at low tide, 
then at high water, retreating into the bays, where, excepting during very severe storms, 
they pass the night. During winter, when the rivers are nearly always frozen over, these 
Ducks resort to the rifts, made in the ice by the eddying tide where the water is open. 
They are always shy birds, rising at the slightest indication of danger and flying out to 
sea, making as they go, a whistling noise with their wings, which is distinctly audible some 
distance, and which has given them the name of Whistle Wings among sportsmen. The 
Golden-eyed Ducks breed in Northern New England, nesting in holes of trees which stand 
along the borders of lakes and rivers. 
BUCEPHALA ISLAND ICA. 
Barrow’s Golden-eye. 
Bucephala Islandica Baird, Birds N. A., 1858, 796. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Larynx, dilated in center, where it is capable of extension and contraction. 
Bill, short. Color. Adult mate. Head and upper neck all around, and upper parts, black glossed with violet. Triangu¬ 
lar patch at base of upper mandible, line through wing, interrupted byablack band, lower neck, and under portion, white. 
Feathers of sides, tipped with black. Scapularies, rounded at tip, with a pointed projection on one or both sides, and a 
triangular spot on rounded tip is white. Axillaries, under wing coverts, and tibia, brown. Iris, orange, bill, black, and 
feet, yellow. Adult female. Brown above and on sides, darkest on head: white below. Otherwise similar to adult male. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Known by the triangular patch at base of short bill a,nd peculiar truncated scapularies. Distributed, in summer, in 
the far North; wintering from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to New York. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens. Length, 2150; stretch, 31-50; wing, 9'00; tail, 3 75; bill, P45; tarsus, P50. 
Longest specimen, 22 00; greatest extent of wing, 33-00; longest wing, 9 50; tail, 4'00; bill, 1’50; tarsus, 1'60. Shortest 
specimen, 21-00; smallest extent of wing, 30 - 00; shortest wing, 8-50; tail, 3 - 50; bill, 1-40; tarsus, P40. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed in holes of trees, composed of sticks, weeds, feathers, etc. Eggs, from six to ten in number, elliptical in 
form, ashy-green in color. Dimensions from 1-70x2-40 to l'75x2‘45. 
HABITS. 
Barrow’s Golden-eye is an extremely rare bird on the coast; so rare, in fact, that I 
never met with a living specimen, but some are usually taken every season, for a few find 
their way into the Boston markets. Judging from published accounts, this species does 
not differ in habits from the preceding Duck. 
BUCEPHALA ALBEOLA. 
Buffle-head. 
Bucephala albeola Bd., Birds N. A. 1858, 797. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form,robust. Size, small. Color. Adult male. Head, upper neck and upper portions, black, becoming 
hoary on upper tail coverts, and glossed with green and violet on the two first, Triangular patch back of eye, broad line 
through wing, and under parts, white. Iris, brown,bill, black, feet, yellow. Adult female. Smoky brown above, becom¬ 
ing white below. There is a white patch on side of head and another small one on wing. Young. Similar to adult female 
but the white markings of the males are more extended. 
