THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



ORNITHOLOGY 



All communications for this department 

 should be sent to the Department Editor, 

 Mr. Harry G. Higbee, 13 Austin Street, 

 Hyde Park, Massachusetts. Items, articles 

 and photographs in this department not 

 otherwise credited are by the Department 

 Editor. 



Scaup Ducks in Their Winter Home. 



As both the lesser and greater scaup 

 ducks, known commonly as blue-bills, 

 gather along the shores and ponds of 

 our eastern states in the late fall they 

 become particularly noticeable. 



As the ponds and streams freeze 

 -over, or their food becomes scarce from 

 some other reason, these birds gradu- 

 ally work their way southward, arriv- 

 ing along the Florida coast and in the 

 larger lakes and streams about the first 

 of December, though sometimes ear- 

 lier. Here they spend the winter in the 

 quiet waters of the semi-tropics, gath- 

 ering in thousands and tens of thous- 

 ands about the harbors of some of the 

 towns, where they receive the protec- 

 tion of state and federal laws, and 



A STREET IN THE BEAUTIFUL TOWN OF DAYTONA. 



These two species, usually found to- 

 gether, have but slight differences in 

 their markings and are practically in- 

 distinguishable except at very close 

 range. Ordinarily they seem to asso- 

 ciate little with other ducks, although 

 they appear very sociable among them- 

 selves. 



where they find ample food to their 

 liking. Here they become so tame that 

 in many instances they may be easily 

 approached. This applies only, how- 

 ever, to their protected areas and the 

 same birds outside become wild and 

 shy, probably from being fired at by 

 the sfunners. 



