126 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



at most a few thousand, could be seen, and Mr. William C. 

 Peterson of Canaveral, Fla., says that they are still decreas- 

 ing. Within the past five years there has been an increase 

 in many localities, which may be attributed, as in the case 

 of the larger species, to spring protection. Wliile this bird is 

 uncommon on oiu* coast, compared to the Greater Scaup, it 

 is more numerous in central New York, and outnumbers its 

 larger namesake in the more southern States. As it is not 

 known to breed east of western Lake Ontario, its migration 

 from the northwest in fall must have a strong easterly trend. 

 Non-breeding individuals are sometimes seen in New England 

 in summer. 



In winter the Scaup often passes the night upon the water. 

 On moonlit nights individuals of a flock will feed and play. 

 On still nights large flocks can sleep on the water, with little 

 danger of lacing disturbed by their natural enemies, although 

 in the south alligators probably pick up a few birds, and in 

 the north the Great Horned Owl may occasionally get one. 

 If a breeze blows it sometimes drifts the whole flock upon 

 a lee shore, where the lynx or the fox lies in wait for them. 

 One morning in January, 1900, I crept down at daylight 

 to the shore of the Banana River in East Florida, expecting 

 to find a flock of Bluebills drifted inshore by the wind, but 

 before I reached the shore I saw a creeping lynx stealing 

 down the beach on a similar errand, oblivious to all but the 

 Ducks, on which he also wished to breakfast. He has killed 

 no Ducks since that day. 



The food of this species differs from that of the preceding 

 much as its preference for smaller bodies of water and fresh 

 water would indicate. It takes the larvae of insects, worms, 

 crustaceans, snails, etc. Mr. Robert O. Morris (1901) says 

 that it is not uncommon near Springfield in autumn, and that 

 pond snails appear to be its favorite food while there. 



