The Golden Eye. Clangula.'
Numb. XCVI.
ITS Weight is thirty two Ounces; its Length from the End of the BilJ
to the End of the Claws is nineteen Inches; Breadth when the Wings,
are extended is thirty one Inches; it hath a thick and fhort Body, and
large Head; the Neck fhort, as is ufual in moft of this kind; the Bill is
broad, fhort, and fomething more elevated than is common to thofe of
the Duck kind, thicker at the Head, leffer and narrower towards the Tip,
and all black; from the Tip to the Angles of the Mouth an Inch and three
quarters long ; the Head is of a changeable Colour of black, purple and
green, as it is varioufly expofed to the Light, fhinirig like Silk ; at the Corner
of the Mouth, on each Side is a round white Spot as big as a Silver threepence
; the Irides of the Eyes are of a lovely yellow or Gold Colour; the
whole Neck, both above and underneath the Shoulders, Breaft and whole
Belly, are white ; the Space between the Shoulders, and all the lower part
of the Back are black; the Wings party-coloured of black and white, viz.
the middle Feathers both Quills and Coverts are white, and the outer and
inner black; the long fcapular Feathers are alfo party-coloured of black
and white.
The Tail is three Inches and a half long, made up of fixteen Feathers,
from the outermoft by degrees longer; yet is not the Tail iharp, but rather
round pointed, all of an uniform black Colour.
The Legs are very fhort, of a yellowiih red Colour, as are alfo the Feet;
the Toes are long, duiky about the Joints, and the outermoft the longeft;
the. innermoft hath a broad appendant Membrane : The Membranes con-
nedting.the Toes and the Claws are black, and the back Toe is fmall, having
alfo a broad appendant Membrane or Fin; the Wind-Pipe hath a
Labyrinth at the Divarication; and befides, above fwells out into a Belly
or Puff-like Cavity. Thefe Birds are common in Italy, and are fometimes.
;aken on our Coafts. It hath a fifhy unpleafant Tafte.