ANATID.E. 



449 



THE SCAUP-DUCK. 



FuLiGULA MARiLA (Liiinjeus). 



The Scaup-Duck makes its appearance on the southern coast of 

 Great Britain about the end of October or the beginning of Novem- 

 ber, though somewhat earher in the north. It is common during 

 the winter on low oozy shores as well as in sheltered rocky bays, 

 but the great majority take their departure in spring, and assertions 

 respecting the breeding of this species in Scotland lack con- 

 firmation ; while, though generally distributed in the cold season, 

 it is not plentiful in the Orkneys or the Outer Hebrides. In 

 Ireland large flocks visit the coasts and tidal waters of the north and 

 west, but comparatively few^ are noticed in the south. 



The Scaup is common in autumn and winter in the Faeroes, 

 where a few only remain to nest ; but in Iceland it breeds in great 

 abundance, as it does up to lat. 70° N. in Scandinavia, Arctic 

 Russia, and Siberia as far as Bering Island. According to Blasius 

 it has nested on one occasion at the Hiddensee in Brunswick, but 

 as a rule it is not found south of the Baltic exxept on passage or 

 in winter, when it visits the Swiss lakes. It reaches the Mediter- 

 ranean, but is rare in the western portion, though not uncommon 

 in the east and the Levant, as well as on the Black and Caspian 

 Seas. It is unknown in Turkestan and rare in India, though 

 occasionally found as far south as Bombay ; the mountains and 



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