517 



THE FERRUGINOUS DUCK. 



FULIGULA NYROCA. 



Somewhat resembling the last, but smaller, distinguished by its brown back ; 

 irides white ; speculum white, edged with black beneath. The female has 

 the head, neck, breast, and flanks brown, all the feathers tipped with light 

 reddish ; under plumage dusky tipped with light brown. Length fourteen 

 inches. Eggs white, tinged with green. 



The adult male of this species cannot well be confounded 

 with any other species ; but females and young birds bear 

 some resemblance to females of the Tufted Duck when not 

 in their best plumage. It is not common ; a few specimens 

 only being obtained from time to time in the eastern 

 counties of England. It inhabits, according to Temminck, 

 the rivers and great lakes of eastern Europe, and in 

 Germany is a regular winter visitant. This bird appears 

 to be the Morillon of Willughby. 



THE SCAUP DUCK. , 



FULIGULA MARILA. 



Head and upper part of the neck black, with green reflections ; breast and rump 

 black ; back and scapulars whitish, marked with numerous fine wavy black 

 lines ; belly, flanks, and speculum, white ; bill blue, the nail and edges black ; 

 irides bright yellow ; feet ash-grey, with dusky membranes. Female— K broad 

 whitish band round the base of the bill ; head and neck dusky brown ; breast 

 and rump dark brown ; back marked with fine wavy lines of black and white ; 

 flanks spotted and pencilled with brown ; irides dull yellow. Length twenty 

 inches. Eggs greenish white. 



The Scaup is so called from its feeding on " scaup," a 

 northern word for a bed of shell-fish.* It is a northern 

 bird, arriving on our coasts in October and November, 

 and remaining with us till the following spring. During 

 this time it frequents those parts of the coast which 

 abound in shell-fish, mostly diving for its food after the 

 manner of the Scoters. On the coast of Norfolk, where 

 Scaups often appear during winter in large flocks, they are 

 called " Mussel Ducks," a name no less appropriate than 



* "Avis hsec the Scaup Duel: dicta est quoniam scalpam, i.e. 

 pisces testaceos fractos seu contritos, esitat." — Willughby, p. 279. 



