BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 



121 



SCAUP {Marila marila). 



Common or local names: Bluebill, Blue-billed Widgeon; Widgeon; Troop-fowl; Broad- 

 bill; Black-head. 



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Male. 



Length. — 17.50 to 20.75 inches. 



Adult Male. — Head, neck, upper back and breast black, the head and 

 upper neck showing greenish reflections; back black, saddled with 

 white, which is crossed with narrow wavy black lines; wing patch 

 white; a white stripe along wing when spread; belly and flanks pure 

 white, with more or less faint fine black cross lines; hinder parts black; 

 bill dull blue or pale blue gray, with black nail; legs and feet lead color; 

 iris yellow. 



Adult Female. — Black of male replaced by dusky or snuffy brown; region 

 around base of bill white; wings brown; speculum and stripe in ex- 

 tended wing white; under parts not so pure white; bill and feet some- 

 what duller than in male. 



Young. — Resembles female. 



Field Marks. — The conspicuous white mask of the female distinguishes it 

 from all others except the female of the Lesser Scaup and the female 

 Ring-neck. At close range or in a good light the head of the male is 

 greenish rather than purplish, as in the case of the Lesser Scaup, and 

 the fuU-plumaged male has the flanks much whiter and less lined than 

 the male of the Lesser Scaup. In flight the front third of the body of 

 a male Scaup appears black, and the hinder two-thirds of the body and 

 the secondary wing quills appear white, only the tail showing dark. 



