LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN WILD FOWL. 209 



be neighbors, I can not remember one isolated nest of Fuligula marila, and I have 

 found many. 



At the eastern extremity of its American breeding range the scaup 

 duck has been found breeding, at least twice, in the Magdalen Islands, 

 Quebec. Mr. Herbert K. Job found a nest, on June 29, 1900, in a 

 small grassy islet, one of a series of small islets known as the " egg 

 nubbles, " in the great ])ond near East Cape; the nest was a bed of 

 down in the thick grass and held nine fresh eggs. I have explored 

 this pond several times since, but have never succeeded in even see- 

 ing a scaup duck. Rev. C. J. Young also found them breeding here 

 in 1897 and sent Prof. John Macoun (1909) the following note, re- 

 ceived from one of his correspondents : 



I found a bhiebill's nest in a strange place, after you left me. It was in a bunch 

 of rushes at the head of the bay, growing in water that took me up to my middle to 

 reach them. 



The greater scaup may breed in North Dakota, Manitoba, and 

 Saskatchewan, but during our various explorations in these regions 

 we found no positive evidence to prove it. There is, however, a posi- 

 tive nesting record of the species farther south. Mr. W. H. Collins 

 (1880) reported finding a nest at St. Clair Flats, Michigan, in 1879, 

 which he identified by shooting the female. 



The nest was built in a tuft of flags and composed of rushes and wild rice lined 

 with some down and feathers. It was situated similarly to the redheads' nest, 

 resting in the water, and being held in place by the tuft of flags in which it was 

 built. 



The down in the nest of the scaup duck is small, soft, and com- 

 pact in texture and "clove brown" or "bone brown" in color, with 

 small inconspicuous, lighter centers. The breast feathers mixed with 

 it are small and white or grayish white. 



Eggs. — The scaup duck lays ordinarily from 7 to 10 eggs; some- 

 times only 5 or 6 constitute a full set and as many as 19 and 22 have 

 been reported; probably these larger sets are the product of two 

 females. The eggs can usually be recognized by their size and color. 

 The color is about the same as in eggs of the lesser scaup and ring- 

 necked ducks, a much darker olive buff than in other ducks' eggs. 



It varies from "deep olive buff" or "olive buff" to "yellowish glau- 

 cous." The shell is smooth, but not glossy when fresh. The shape 

 is usually elliptical ovate. The measurements of 180 eggs in various 

 collections average 62.4 by 43.7 millimeters; the eggs showing the 

 four extremes measure 68.5 by 44, 59 by 48, 54.5 by 41.5 and 66.3 

 by 40.7 millimeters. 



Young. — The period of incubation is said to be about four weeks, 

 but probably it is nearer three and one-half weeks. This duty is 

 performed by the female alone, as she is deserted by her mate as 

 soon as incubation begins. Mr. Ilcrsey's Alaska notes state that 



