; srson who has actually witnessed the manner—the clergyman at Quickiock, in Lulean
DM ec f that chain of vast lakes whence the Lulea river flows, who was once a witness,
: oe i ne i" ‘i side of the lake near Quickiock, where the bird breeds in great numbers,
and who, while De. i. the water, and at the same instant a young one appear ; after watching
oe. A fly Bae as and forwards from the nest five times, he was enabled to perceive
5 n
= ld under the bill, and supported by the neck es ne parent.” ‘a |
he natives of Lapland and Finmark of the bird’s habit of laying its eggs in the
by nearly every writer on the natural history of those

Lapmar

saw

some time, and see

that the young bird was he

The advantage taken by t 7

' f -milar situations 1s mentionec

les of trees and simile — t on the :

i Linnaeus, when near Lycksele, had his attention drawn to the cylinders of wood, closed at top
inneus, yek:

countries. re placed on the highest part of the loftiest fir trees,

and bottom, and with an aperture on one side, which we
F . .
r to tempt the wild ducks to lay their eggs in them.
k tl ros from the Aolkar, or tubs set up in trees, or from the hollows of trees themselves, and never from
ae a : co : : : ee carvan %4 3 * ’ 3

| id: and Pastor Sommerfeldt informs us, 1n his ‘ List of Birds observed in East Finmark,’ translated
the ground; < : . | : | =

I M H b Dresser, that, in order to obtain possession 1n the easiest manner of the eggs of this bird, the
dV Yr. . > ’ ay : 7

i: it up, along the Tana river and in the woods, hollow trees about two ells high, with a hole in the side.
ee K a ; 1 : A ered ‘ > aa : . .
When the bird has discontinued laying, they empty the nest. Occasionally the cavity chosen is so small
| Mr. Hewitson mentions one, observed by him in

Mr. Wheelwright mentions that he always
in orde

that it would seem impossible for a duck to enter it. arena ae
Norway, that was about twelve feet from the ground and about a foot in diameter inside, with an entrance so
nator as hardly to admit the hand.

The Golden-eyes, “like most of our Ducks,” says Macgillivray, ‘‘ betake themselves to the Arctie regions,
whence they return in autumn, making their appearance in the begminmng o October, and continuing to
‘ncrease in number until the winter has fairly set in, when they are met with in all parts of he country, from
Shetland and Orkney on the one side, and Lewis Island on the other, to the southern extremly of England,
In Ireland, also, they are regular winter visitants. It is chiefly to lakes, pools, and rivers that they resort.
But, although essentially lake-ducks, they often, especially in frosty weather, resort to estuaries, as well as
the open coasts, where they procure testaceous mollusca, crustacea, and fishes.

‘Owing to the pied appearance of the males, the Golden-eyes make a line show on the wate and Css
cially on those dull dark pools of the North Highlands and Hebrides of which the surrounding scenery Is
Avenel enough at all seasons, but especially in winter. When undisturbed, they float lightly, but if alarmed
have the faculty of sinking deeper, swim with great speed, dive instantancously, and are active and lively in
all their praccinents except on land, where, Mr. Selby states, it ‘‘ proceeds in a shuffling ungainly manner,
from the backward position of its legs and the great size of its feet.” ‘They fly with rapidity, and in a
direct manner ; their small, stiff, sharp-pointed wings producing a whistling sound, which, in calm weather,
may be heard at a considerable distance. If shot at while feeding, they dive, and appear, after a considerable
interval, at a great distance; but, owing to their vigilance and activity, it is difficult to get near them, although,
when without a gun, I have several times been allowed to approach within shooting-distance, and on such
occasions they merely swim slowly away. In rising from the water, they strike it with their feet and wings
to the distance of several yards; but on occasions they can rise at a single effort, especially when there is a
breeze.

“The females and young are greatly more numerous, in proportion to the males, in the southern parts of
the country ; and in the northern, flocks are sometimes seen composed entirely of males. It is said that,
in their southward migration, the males advance first, the young remaining a considerable time behind
the females ; and in proceeding northward, the males again take the lead, being several days in advance.”

Mr. Wheelwright states that “the egg of the Golden-eye varies very much in colour and size; and it is
remarked by the old settlers, who watch the habits of the bird closely (for its eggs afford them a good supply
of food), that the old birds always lay the fewest, finest, and largest eggs.” How many eggs are deposited at
a laying does not appear to have been correctly ascertained: from five to ten would seem to be the normal
number; they are of a beautiful pale pea-green, and are two inches and three-eighths in length by one inch
and five-eighths in breadth.

Few Ducks present so great a contrast in the size and colouring of the sexes as the male and female of
the present species ; irrespective of the difference in their plumage, the latter may always be distinguished
from the former by the eye being pale straw-yellow instead of
after the breeding-season, change their brilliant plumage
female, and again assume it late in the autumn.

arich golden. Inall probability the old males,
of winter to one closely assimilating to that of the
TI

1e young males closely resemble the females.

The Plate represents a male and a female of the size of life, with reduced figures of two males in the re-
markable attitude above described.