FULIGULA^ 305 



The female is dull rufous brown above^ with paler edges to the 

 feathers; the crest is less developed and deep rufous brown in colour; 

 feathers about the bill pale yellowish white ; breast on the centre yellow- 

 ish or fulvous white, tinged with greenish ; under parts white, with faint 

 dusky bars of brown ; speculum white > the under tail-coverts white, 

 with a few spots of pale brown. 



Hob. — Sind, Beloochistan, Persia, Afghanistan, Punjab, N. W. and 

 Central Provinces, Oudh, Bengal, Rajputana, Kutch, Guzerat, Concan, 

 Dcccan, Central and Southern India. 



This duck frequents chiefly open tanks, jheelsand small dhunds over- 

 grown with weeds. It feeds chiefly on small molluscs and insects. 

 In the stomachs of a few obtained by me at Sehwan were species of 

 Nepid'm^ a species of Ranatra being the most common. They dive 

 and swim well, and remain for some time under water in search of 

 minute molluscs, roots and seeds. They are said to bo good eating, 

 but after January the flesh has a peculiar flavour, which renders it 

 onpalatable. 



Fuligula marila. The Scaup Pochard . 



Puligula marila, Lin.; P.E. 1002; Gould. B. Eur. pi. 371 ; /errf. 

 K Lid. iii. p. 811, No. 970; Murray, Hdbk., ZooI.,4'c., Sind, p. 239; 

 Hume, Game B. hid. iii. p. 271. — The Scaup Pochard. 



" Male. — Head and neck black, glossed with green ; top of the back and 

 scapulars whitish, with zigzag black lines ; lower back and upper tail- 

 coverts black; tail brown; wing-coverts black, marbled with ashy; 

 speculum white ; quills brown ; lower neck and breast deep black ; 

 abdomen and sides pure white, with brown zigzag markings on the 

 lower portion; under tail-coverts black ; bill clear bluisli above, dusky 

 below, the tip black; irides brilliant yellow; legs bluish ashy; webs 

 blackish.^' — {Jerdon). 



Length. — 19 to 20 inches, wing 9 inches, tail 2*5, bill at front nearly 



2, tarsus 1*5. The measurements of a female given by Mr. Hume 



are— Length 18 inches, expanse 28, wing 8-75, tail 2-5, tarsus 1-33, bill 



along ridge 1 "So. A specimen of a female in the Kurrachee Museum 



39 z 



