THE SCAUP/ 103 



in so many ways that it may be said they come 

 under the description of the latter both as to 

 shooting and peculiarities. They are even harder 

 (if possible) to kill than Pochard, swim just 

 as deep (if not more so) when alarmed, and if 

 wounded are most troublesome to retrieve. On the 

 water it is very unusual to kill a dozen at a shot, 

 but, like Pochard, they will often offer a good flying 

 chance. In many parts of Ireland, notably the 

 Shannon, Galway, Kerry, Dundalk, Donegal, and 

 in the northern marine loughs, I have often seen 

 two to three thousand of these birds together. 

 They are also found singly, in pairs, and in 

 bunches of seven or eight, in every little channel 

 and bay on the coast, except on the southern shore. 

 They are ungainly-looking fowl, especially about 

 the head. The females alone show the dirty white 

 mark round the base of the bill, something like the 

 White-fronted Goose. They arrive early in the 

 season, and may be seen by the middle of October 

 as plentiful as they will be for the winter. Hard 

 weather does not seem to increase their numbers. 

 They never remain to breed. 



When met with in twos and threes Scaup are 

 very tame, but if many are together they are wild 

 and difficult of approach. By reason of their dark 

 appearance on the water, and the large bulk of 

 body exposed, no fowl show thicker at a distance, 

 or scatter more when neared. They are most 

 unsatisfactory birds to follow in every way. Their 

 edible quality is far from good, and a successful 

 shot is very seldom made at them. I never 

 obtained Scaup at flight time, but Goldeneyes, 



