58 NOTES ON THE 



AYTHYA MARILA NEARCTICA Stejneger. (148.) 



GREATER SCAUP DUCK. 



The comon name, Blue-bill, is the only one known to the 

 vernacular of our local sportsmen. Amongst the earlier mi- 

 grants of its sub-family, the Blue-bills come to us in the first 

 ranks of the duck hosts of late March. It seems as if "when 

 one comes, all come," but the number vary, like some other 

 species, with the seasons, sometimes overshadowing any, 

 indeed every other species for a short time. At these times 

 they frequent all waters, pools by the wayside — shallow 

 lakes, iDonds, streams and marshes, but still discover to the 

 critical observer, a preference for estuaries. These afford 

 them such food as the high waters bring down from the inun- 

 dations of the higher lands. 



They fly in very close, compact flocks, which, however large 

 upon their first arrival, are soon broken into smaller ones of 

 about a dozen to twenty, and are much on the wing when the 

 Aveather is cloudy and windy. When on the water at consider- 

 able distance, their identification is not ordinarily difficult, on 

 account of their huddling together very closely, and their 

 habit of constantly diving. They are about the tamest of the 

 wild ducks, and almost the stupidest also, for after having 

 been repeatedly fired into, and driven to wing, they will return 

 by a short circle to nearly the same locality until a consid- 

 erable portion of the flock has been killed. 



During the last week in April, and the first in May they dis- 

 appear, after which only an occasional male is seen through 

 the summer in the low wet marshes. They build their nests of 

 reeds and grass, on the ground in remote marshes and swamps, 

 about the second week in May, and deposit eight to ten eggs 

 colored pale drab, and dingy with a wash of olivaceous. The 

 first nest to which my attention was called by Mr. Lewis, was 

 located within three miles of this city, near a sluggish stream 

 connecting two lakes. It contained but three eggs on the thir- 

 teenth of May, but was not disturbed until containing eight, 

 only one of which I was jDermitted to retain. I think there are 

 relatively few that breed as far south as where my personal 

 observations have been principally made, but they are as com- 

 mon as any other species about Lake Superior during the sum- 

 mer in the marshes. 



