The Scaup Ducks. 341 



seem to get away very quickly, though 

 their wings are obHged to vibrate at a great 

 speed and with considerable noise. They 

 both swim and dive with perfect ease, 

 and obtain much of their food under 

 water. 



" Although the Scaup, when cooked, 

 is said to taste very fishy, it does not 

 appear to be much of a fish-eater. Shell- 

 fish are its favourite food, but it varies 

 this diet with crustaceans, the larvae of 

 various insects, and with some vegetable 

 matter. In confinement, Montagu found 

 it remarkably tame, feeding eagerly at 

 once on soaked bread, and after a few 

 days on barley." 



Mr. Cordeaux remarks : — " These 

 Ducks appear to keep in pairs, male and 

 female, throughout the winter, as we in- 

 variably find them in mixed flocks com- 

 posed of about equal numbers of males 

 and females. The Scaup swims high in 

 the water. They are very expert divers, 

 remaining immersed even longer than the 

 Golden-eye ; and I have frequently known 

 them to continue underneath from fifty 

 to sixty seconds. In the evening, at 

 dusk, and on moonlight nights, Scaups 

 leave the water and fly up on the flats to 

 feed; they are then often killed by our 



