THE SCAUP DUCK. 187 



broad bill of a clear light-blue; the male has the head, 

 neck, shoulders, and breast black, with soft reflections of 

 green and violet on the head and upper part of the neck, with 

 a tendency to a broad, brown ring around the lower part of 

 the neck; back white, crossed by broad zigzag lines of black; 

 rump, tail, and wings black, the latter with reflections of green, 

 and having the secondaries white, tipped, and slightly edged 

 with black; tertiaries, and shoulders finely sprayed with 

 white; under parts and sides white, the latter delicately 

 touched with gray. The female, having a broad, white 

 mark at the base of the upper mandible, has the entire 

 upper parts grayish-brown, lighter about the head, neck, 

 and breast; the ends of the feathers on the back sometimes 

 delicately sprayed with white, or silvery gray; under parts 

 white. The young males, resembling the females, may be 

 found in all stages between, as they approximate maturity. 

 The Scaup dives well for its food, a flock thus engaged 

 affording a lively sight. They are by no means so shy as 

 some of their kind; and, on being put up, do not generally 

 fly far before alighting. 



This Duck, common to the whole northern hemisphere, is 

 found alike on fresh and salt waters, and is very common in 

 this locality during migration. They appear on Niagara 

 River in great flocks in the migrations, especially in April. 

 Then they keep for the most part to certain feeding grounds, 

 and have a peculiar way of huddling together, with a 

 swarming motion which marks them from other Ducks 

 even in the distance, and in some places has given them the 

 name Flocking Fowl. As they rise from the water, their 

 thick heads, short necks, and short, plump bodies, as also 

 the plover-like markings in their wings, clearly distinguish 

 them. Like the following, they remain on Niagara during 

 severe winters. Mr. Maynard reports them as particularly 



