LESSER BLUEBILL 339 



broad, dull blue in color, and with a black nail. 

 I think the bill of the Lesser Scaup averages 

 proportionately wider than that of the larger 

 species. Feet leaden blue with dusky or nearly 

 black webs. Iris yellow. 



The female not greatly different from her 

 mate, the jet black areas of the head and fore 

 parts of the body of the male bird fading to a 

 dusky brown in her plumage. A whitish patch 

 at the base of the bill. Black and white wavy 

 lines of back less distinctly shown. Flanks 

 brown, the feathers edged with whitish. 



The length of the Greater Scaup ranges from 

 eighteen to twenty inches; the extent from 

 thirty-two to thirty-four inches. In the Lesser 

 Scaup the length varies from fifteen to seven- 

 teen and the extent from twenty-seven to thirty 

 inches. 



In New England the Greater Bluebill is the 

 more common bird; further south the small 

 variety is about equally numerous. 



These birds are also known as Black-Heads, 

 Raft Ducks, and Shufflers. The name, ''Scaup 

 Duck," comes from their feeding on ''scaup," 

 broken shells and mussels. 



