ON'I'ARIC. 



Subgenus FULIGULA Stephens. 



45. AYTHYA MARILA NEARCTICA Stejn. 147. 



American Scaup Duck, 



Male with the head, neck and body anteriorly black, the former with a 

 green gloss ; back and sides whitish, finely waved in zig-zag with black ; below, 

 and speculum of wing white ; bill dull blue with black nail ; legs plumbeous. 

 Female with the head and anterior parts brown, and other black parts of the 

 male, rather brown ; face pure white. Length, about 20 ; wing, 9, 



Hab. North America, breeding far north. 



Nest of weeds and dry grass, lined with down, placed on the ground. 

 Eggs, dull drab. 



This and the next species, which are nearly allied, are the 

 ducks most frequently met with in Southern Ontario, where 

 they are known as Blue-bills. In the fall they remain in Ham- 

 ilton Bay till they are frozen out, and in spring, even before the 

 bay is open, they appear outside on Lake Ontario and 

 make frequent excursions inward to watch for the moving of 

 ice. In spring many remain in the bay till about the first of May, 

 by which time they seem all to be paired, but I have no record 

 of their having been found breeding, and think it likely that 

 nearly all spend the summer to the north of the Province. 



46. AYTHYA AFFINIS (Eyt.). 149. 

 Lesser Scaup Duck. 



Extremely similar to the preceding, but smaller, about 16 ; wing 8 ; gloss 

 of head chiefly purple ; flanks and scapulars less closely waved with black (?) 

 It is very difficult to define this bird specifically, and it may be simply a small 

 southern form ; but it appears to preserve its characters though constantly 

 associated with the last. 



Hab. North America in general, breeding chiefly north of the United 

 States, migrating south to Guatemala and the West Indies. 



Closely resembles the preceding except in being considerably 

 less in size. 



AccordmgtoDr. Coues, it is a more southerly bird, not breed- 

 ing so far north, and going farther south in winter. 



In Southern Ontario it is about equal in abundance with the 

 preceding, with which it is often associated, but it does not leave 

 Hamilton Bay till about the middle of May which wonlrl lead 

 us to suppose that it does not go so far norcii to breed as some 

 of the others. 



59 



