Genus CLANGULA.

Gen. Car. Beak shorter than the head ; its base simple, narrow, nearly straight towards the
tip; the upper mandible furnished with a small hook. Nos¢rzls oval, basal. Taz? with its

feathers acuminated or blunt, not elongated.

GOLDEN EYE.

Anas Clangula, Lznn.
Ce
Clangula vulgaris, Leach.

Le Garrot.

Or all the diving Ducks the Golden Eye displays the most address in the water, the greatest rapidity in
plunging, united to the power of long continuance beneath its surface ; and as its food is to be sought for only

at the bottom of the deep, we see in these qualifications one of those instances which Nature ever presents of
the adaptation of the means to the end.

This interesting bird is a winter visitor, arriving on our coasts and those of the neighbouring continent at
the latter end of autumn, and retiring northwards to breed, as the milder weather approaches taking up its
summer residence in Norway, Sweden, and the arctic portion of the American continent ; the female, it is said,
lays from ten to fourteen eggs of a pure white, on the borders of lakes and inlets of the sea.

The immature males of the Golden Eye, as well as the adult females, have been characterized as a distinct
species under the name of Morillon or Anas Glaucion,—a mistake lately rectified. But though the young
males and females present no dissimilarity of colour, the anatomical structure of the trachea, which exhibits
the same peculiarities in the males of every age, and which may be felt externally, is an infallible criterion.
The singularity of this organ in the present species consists of a labyrinth, very irregular in figure and almost
entirely osseous, from which the bronchial tubes proceed ;—a short distance above this, the trachea itself
enlarges very considerably; the dilatation is of an oval figure, capable of extension and contraction, and formed
of rings placed in an oblique direction. In the males of all the Ducks the trachea presents a peculiarity of
structure, which differs in every species : this feature therefore affords a clue to specific distinction, and may
be taken as the best test for identifying an immature or doubtful species. The use for which Nature has
designed this peculiarity of structure has not been clearly ascertained, but it is most probably connected with
the tone or modulation of the voice.

In its mode of living; in the disproportion that exists between the sexes ; in the dark green tufted head of
the male,—a colouring exchanged for brown in the female and young,—there would seem to be indicated
we think, a striking analogy between the Golden Eye and the less typical Mergansers. This resemblance is
the more apparent if we take the Smew for our comparison. We there find a shorter beak, a more rounded
contour of body, and a less brilliant colour pervading the feet and tarsi, than in the others of its genus: to
this we may add its food, which consists more exclusively of molluscous animals and crustacea. The food of
the Golden Eye is the same, for which its strong beak, tapering from a thick base, is well constructed.
The colour of its plumage also partakes of the same character as the Smew, exhibiting a contrast of black
and white in the male, and dark grey and white in the female.

The bill of the Golden Eye is black; irides fine golden yellow; neck glossy greenish black, with the exception
of a large white spot at the base of the bill ; back and tail black ; a band of white crosses the wings, leaving
the shoulders and quills black ; legs dull orange ; webs darker. The female is considerably less than the male,
and has the bill yellow towards the point ; head and upper part of the neck rusty brown, below which is a
ring of greyish white ; breast mottled with grey, upper parts dark cinereous ; tail and under parts as in the

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male.
The weight is nearly two pounds, the length seventeen or eighteen inches.

Our Plate represents a male and female, faithfully figured, two thirds of their natural size.

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