File:The birds of Europe (1837) (14564226677).jpg

Identifier: birdsEuropeVGoul (find matches)
Title: The birds of Europe
Year: 1837 (1830s)
Authors: Gould, John, 1804-1881
Subjects: Pictorial works Birds
Publisher: London, Printed by R. and J.E. Taylor, pub. by the author
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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also the case with most of thosehirds that resort to the higher regions to breed. Unlike most of the Anatidcs, the Black Scoter and its allies undergo no periodical change in theirplumage ; neither is there so great a dissimilarity between the opposite sexes as there is in most others of thisfamily, the bright colouring of the bill in the male and his more richly coloured plumage being the chiefpoints of difference. The male has the whole of the plumage of a rich velvet black; the beak black, with the exception of thenostrils, which are bright orange, and the spherical protuberance at the base, which is banded with yellow;irides brown ; naked circle round the eye red; tarsus and toes brownish ash colour; webs blue. The female is characterized by a plumage of dull blackish brown ; the bill black, tinged with olive, andwanting the basal protuberance; the sides of the face, throat, and under surface lighter in colour than theupper. The Plate represents an adult male of the natural size.
Text Appearing After Image:
V 41 Genus CLANGULA. Gen. Char. Beak shorter than the head ; its base simple, narrow, nearly straight towards thetip ; the upper mandible furnished with a small hook. Nostrils oval, basal. Tail with itsfeathers acuminated or blunt, not elongated. GOLDEN EYE. Anas Clangula, Linn.Clangula vulgaris, Leach.Le Garrot. Of all the diving Ducks the Golden Eye displays the most address in the water, the greatest rapidity inplunging, united to the power of long continuance beneath its surface ; and as its food is to be sought for onlyat the bottom of the deep, we see in these qualifications one of those instances which Nature ever presents ofthe adaptation of the means to the end. This interesting bird is a winter visitor, arriving on our coasts and those of the neighbouring continent atthe latter end of autumn, and retiring northwards to breed, as the milder weather approaches taking up itssummer residence in Norway, Sweden, and the arctic portion of the American continent; the female, it is s

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