FULIGULA. 223 
The “ Blue-bill,” as the Scaup is called in America, is found on the inland waters of 
the United States in winter, when it also frequents the coast in some numbers. The 
bird feeds chiefly by night, the food consisting of small molluscs and water-plants, 
which it obtains by diving. The nest is roughly constructed in a hollow in the 
giound, with a few straws and a little down for lining. The eggs are of a pale olive- 
grey colour 8. 
2. Fuligula affinis. 
Fuligula affinis, Fyton, Mon. Anat. p. 15713; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 231°; P. ZS. 1876, 
p- 899°; Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 219* ; Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 360’. 
Fulix affinis, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. York, ix. pp. 143°, 2107; Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. ii. p. 315°; 
. Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 234°; Baird, Brewer, & Ridgw. Water-Birds N. Amer. ii. p. 22”. 
Aythya affinis, Ferrari-Perez, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. ix. p. 174"; A. O. U. Check-l. N. Amer. 
Birds, 2nd ed. p. 53”. 
F. marile similis, sed minor et fasciis dorsalibus albis magis conspicuis; alis ut in F. marila coloratis; 
tectricibus alarum vix albo vermiculatis; tectricibus primariorum et primariis externis cinerascenti- 
brunneis, apicem versus nigris, primariis interioribus extus brunnescenti-griseis, intus saturatioribus ; 
pileo et collo purpureo-nigris, collo laterali viridi nitentibus: rostro cyaneo, apice nigro. Long. tota 
circa 16:0, alee 8:2, caude 2°5, culm. 1°75, tarsi 1:35. (Descr. maris adulti ex Corpus Christi, Texas. 
Mus. nostr.) 
@ femine /. marile similis, sed minor, primariis interioribus saturatioribus, cinerascenti-brunneis. Long. 
tota circa 16-0, alee 7-3, caude 2°5, culm. 1:55, tarsi 1-3. (Descr. femine adulte ex Duenas. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Nort AMERICA in general, breeding chiefly north of the United States, migrating 
south in winter to Central America ° !*.—Mexico, Mazatlan (Grayson °), Zacatecas 
(ichardson®), Orizaba (Sumichrast °), Epatlan, Puebla (Ferrari-Perez |), Progreso, 
Yucatan (Schott’); Guatemata, Lakes of Duefias and Atitlan (0. 8.2); Costa 
Rica, San Antonio (v. Frantzius*); Panama, Castillo, Veraguas (Arcé*). 
The Lesser Scaup is a smaller bird than /#. marila, which it otherwise resembles 
in plumage. The two forms have apparently been confounded together by many 
observers, and Mr. Ridgway considers it not improbable that connecting-links may 
be discovered, so that J. affinis would appear to be nothing but a small race of 
F. marila. 
It is found far to the north in summer, extending even to the Arctic Ocean, and 
breeding generally throughout the Fur Countries and Alaska. On migration the bird 
occurs all over the United States, frequenting the coast in winter. At this season 
the Lesser Scaup has been met with at Mazatlan, in Western Mexico’; we also 
obtained numerous specimens on the Lake of Duefias in Guatemala during the winter, 
and Salvin noticed it on the Lake of Atitlan as late as the month of May ”. 
F. affinis resembles its larger ally in habits and food, and, like it, may frequently 
be seen in large flocks. ‘The eggs are described as pale greyish-buff, with a tinge of 
olive 1°, 
