The Scaup Ducks. 339 



The Scaup Duck has an extremely 

 wide range. It inhabits North America, 

 Europe, Northern Africa, and the greater 

 portion of Northern and Central Asia, 

 being found in summer up to the 70th 

 degree of north latitude, and migrating 

 south in winter. The Chinese race {F. 

 mariloides) is thought to be a smaller and 

 separable race by some authors, but it 

 does not appear to me to be distinct. 



The Scaup is essentially a maritime 

 bird, except at the breeding season, when 

 it withdraws some distance inland. Some 

 Scaup Ducks, however, may occasionally 

 be found on fresh water at all seasons of 

 the year, but the majority must be looked 

 for on the sea-coast. 



The Scaup has hitherto been so rarely 

 observed in India, that I cannot find a 

 single remark about its habits there, and 

 I must consequently glean an account 

 of its mode of life from English writers. 

 Seebohm observed this Duck in Northern 

 Europe and also in Asia. He writes : — 

 " The Scaup is most active when the sun 

 shines from the north ; that seems to be 

 its favourite feeding-time ; and then its 

 loud harsh scream may be heard, as the 

 drake calls to his mate to leave her eggs 

 covered warmly up in a blanket of down, 



