Duck-shooting 135 



While the greater broadbill, or scaup, occurs 

 throughout North America, it is especially a bird 

 of the eastern coast, Chesapeake Bay marking 

 the common limit of its southern range. The 

 close relationship between the greater and the 

 lesser broadbill has led to considerable confusion 

 as regards the distribution of species. South of 

 the Chesapeake Bay and inland it is replaced by 

 the lesser variety. The summer home of the 

 broadbill is far in the North, along the farther 

 shores of Hudson Bay, Greenland, and Alaska. 

 The nest has been taken as far south as the 

 Magdalen Islands. It is roughly constructed of 

 grass and drift placed in a mere depression on 

 the ground. The eggs are covered well with down 

 and cared for entirely by the duck, for during 

 incubation the drakes associate by themselves. 

 Late October and early November mark their 

 arrival on the New England and Long Island 

 coasts ; the first small flocks are swelled in size by 

 newcomers, and the late fall finds them well estab- 

 lished in winter quarters. They soon accustom 

 themselves to surroundings and become wild and 

 hard of approach, in calm weather gathering in 

 vast flocks far out in the bay, passing to and from 

 their feeding-grounds in a characteristic undulat- 

 ing line, if near land or disturbed by boats, 

 keeping high in air. Under these circumstances 

 batteries anchored out in the bay along their line 



