342 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



gunners who are lying in wait on the 

 muds for Wigeon and Mallard." 



Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey, in "The 

 Fowler in Ireland," writes : " 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 un- 

 satisfactory birds to follow in every way. 

 Their edible quality is far from good, and 

 a successful shot is very seldom made at 

 them." 



Scaup Ducks appear, however, to be 

 very often tame and easily approached. 

 Mr. Abel Chapman has observed these 

 birds closely, and I shall quote his interest- 

 ing remarks. He tells us, in his 

 "Bird-Life of the Borders," that "the 

 feeding-grounds of the Scaup are over 

 rocks where sea-weed grows luxuriantly, 

 and where they dive among the long, 

 waving tangles in search of the various 

 shell-fish and their spawn and the host 

 of minute forms of marine life which 

 abound in such places. Owing to this 

 preference, their company is often con- 

 fined all through the winter to certain 



