202 BAY AND SEA DUCKS 



as a rule, kept near the center of the lake (where shooting is prohibited) 

 massed in one great body. On still mornings, the shining white backs 

 of the males could be clearly seen, while at a distance of half a mile, 

 one could hear distinctly a dabbling sound as they ate the celery brought 

 to the surface 



"The female Canvasback can quack almost as well as a Black 

 Duck, and also gives voice to a screaming curr-row when startled. The 

 males, when together, frequently utter a peeping or growling note." 

 (Eaton.) 



1910. FAY, S. P., Auk, XXVII, 369-381 (status in Mass.). 



148. Marila marila (Linn.). GREATER SCAUP DUCK. Ad. d*. Head, 

 neck, breast and upper back black, top and sides of head with generally green- 

 ish reflections ; back and scapulars with wavy black and white bars ; speculum 

 white; upper and under tail-coverts black; belly white; lower belly strongly 

 and sides faintly marked with wavy black bars. Ad. 9 . Region around base 

 of bill white; head, neck, breast and upper back umber, margined with ochra- 

 ceous on breast; back and scapulars fuscous-brown; sides dark grayish 

 brown, both generally marked with fine, wavy bars of white; speculum and 

 belly white. <? L., 18'50; W., 8'75; Tar., 1'40; B., 1'65; greatest width of 

 B., I'OO. 9 L., 17'SO; W., 8'25; Tar., 1'36; B., l'G5; greatest width of B., I'OO. 



Range. N. part of N. Hemisphere. In N. A., breeds from the Aleutian 

 Islands, iiw. Alaska, Great Slave Lake, and cen. Keewatin s. to s. B. C. and n. 

 N. D.; has bred casually on Magdalen Islands and in Out. and Mich.; 

 winters from Maine to Fla., and the Bahamas, and from the Aleutian 

 Islands, Nev., Colo., and Lake Ont., s. to s. Calif., s. N. M., and s. Tex.; 

 in migration rare in cen. Ungava, N. F., and N. S. 



Washington, rather common W. V. Long Island, abundant T. V., 

 Sept. 1-Apl. 22, some winter. Ossinirig, common T. V., Mch. 22-Apl. 13; 

 Oct. 4-Dec. 3. N. Ohio, common T. V., Mch. 10-May 1; Oct. 1-Dec. 10, 

 breeds occasionally. Glen Ellyn, April records only. SE. Minn., T. V. 



Nest, on the ground, near grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. Eggs, 

 6-10, olive-buff, 2'54 x 1*71. Date, Bering Is., June 6. 



This is one of our most common Bay Ducks. While with us it 

 seems to prefer salt and brackish water. It feeds largely on mollusks, 

 which it obtains by diving. "Ducks of this species utter a soft, purring 

 whistle when excited or calling to their mates, and rarely the discordant 

 note described by Seebohm as resembling the word scaup, screamed out 

 in an exceptionally harsh voice. On two or three occasions I have heard 

 a flock of Scaups give utterance to these notes, and the effect was the 

 loudest and most discordant chorus of bird-notes to which I ever 

 listened, coming as it did from scores of voices over silent water." 

 (Eaton.) 



149. Marila af finis (Eyt.). LESSER SCAUP DUCK. Ad. <?. Similar to 

 preceding species but smaller, head, as a rule, glossed with purplish instead 

 of greenish, and flanks strongly instead of faintly marked with wavy black 

 bars. Ad. 9. Similar to 9 of the preceding species, but smaller, <? L., 16'50; 

 W., 8-00; Tar., 1'35; B., 1*60; greatest width of B., '95. 9 L., 16'50; W., 

 7*60; Tar., 1*30; B., 1'55; greatest width of B., '90. 



Remarks. The Scaup Ducks resemble each other so closely that it is 

 sometimes impossible to tell them apart, but they may generally be dis- 

 tinguished by the characters given above. 



