THE ESSER SCAUR: 797 
the oceans of Mars, where water is now declared to be at a premium. As with 
our acres and forests and fishes, so with our birds: there is a handwriting on 
our wall, and its interpretation is, ‘Cultivate, propagate, and preserve, if you 
would enjoy.” 
No bird is quicker to avail itself of protection than the Bluebill. Wher- 
ever the laws forbid shooting from the wharves or upon the waterways, there 
Scaups make themselves at home; and in those few places where they are not 
even frightened, as by idle stone-throwers, they become almost as tame as 
domestic ducks. They are already common in winter in most of the larger 
harbors on Puget Sound and, since they are fond of fresh water as well as salt, 
we may expect them to appear in considerable numbers upon the new bird 
reserve of Lake Washington. This bird reserve, by the way, will prove one of 
the proudest monuments of an exceptionally intelligent Legislature, that of 
1909, and of the unselfish zeal of Miss Jennie V. Getty, of Kirkland. Such a 
prudent enactment as that which authorized this experiment in bird (and 
human) protection, gives us comfortable assurance that the handwriting on 
the wall will be heeded in Washington. 
No. 319. 
LESSER -SCAUP. 
Vy O. U. No. 144 i i ] 
A. O. U. No. 149. Marila affinis (Eyt.). 
Synonyms.—Lessrr Scaup. Lirtne BLACKHEAD. BLUEBILL, ete. (sharing 
names applied to preceding form). 
Description.—dAdult male: Similar to preceding but smaller; the head not 
glossed with green,—violet or purplish instead. Adult female: Distinguishable 
from that of 4. marila only by smaller size. Length 15.00-17.00 (381-431.8) ; 
wing 8.00 (203.2) ; tail 2.30 (58.4); bill 1.65 (41.9); tarsus 1.40 (35.6). 
Recognition Marks.—See preceding species ; smaller. 
Nesting.—Nest and Eggs like those of preceding species. Ay. size of eggs, 
DP exaes OM 05722 a4 Oud) 
General Range.—North America in general, breeding chiefly north of the 
United States, migrating south to Guatemala and the West Indies. 
Range in Washington.—Not commo. spring and fall migrant, but found 
on both sides of the Cascades. A few linger thru the summer east of the moun- 
tains, but it is not certain that they breed. 
Authorities.—[“Little blackhead,” Johnson, Rep. Gov. W. T. 1884 (1885), 
23.) Aythya affinis, Lawrence, Auk, Vol. IX. Jan. 1892, p. 42. L'. Rh. D'. Kk. 
13}; J8((1al))- 
Specimens.— Prov. B. BN. 
