WILD DUCKS. 295 



about a dog when he is employed in toling, as that in- 

 creases his efficiency, by making the birds more inquisi- 

 tive. These ducks assemble in large flocks during the 

 autumn, and mingle freely with all their congeners on the 

 feeding grounds, but, when flying, they generally keep by 

 themselves. They move at a regular rate of speed, and 

 closely grouped, when on the wing, and this, as m the 

 case of the other species having the same habit, enables 

 a man to bring down ten or fifteen at a time with both 

 barrels. They decoy in gallant style, and when fired at 

 they often merely flutter upwards for a few feet, then 

 alight again, as if they were most anxious to renew the ac- 

 quaintance of their wooden images. They even wlieel 

 about while hastening away on hearing tlieir own peculiar 

 mewing call, and give the fowler another opportunity of 

 lessening their numbers, especially if the decoys are in 

 sight. They are almost as expert at diving and swim- 

 ming as the canvas-backs. When wounded, they some- 

 times plunge under the water, and takmg hold of an 

 aquatic plant, cling to it until they die. 



The greater scaup duck {Fuligula marila), which is 

 known by several aliases, such as the flocking fowl, 

 broad-bill, blue-bill, big black-head, and raft duck, is 

 one of the most abundant species of the sea ducks, being 

 found from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Its bill, 

 which is as long as the head, is a light-grayish-blue in 

 color, the unguis being blackish; the iris is red; the 

 feet are grayish -blue, and the webs and claws black; the 

 head, neck, and forepart of the back and breast are 

 black; the head and neck are glossed with purple and 

 green; the hinder part of the back, the rump, abdomen, 

 and upper and lower tail-coverts are dusky; and the an- 

 terior part of the belly and sides are grayish-white, 

 marked with waved lines of black. The center of the 

 breast is white; the wings are a light-brownish-gray; and 

 the secondaries brownish-black. It attains a leng-th of 



