The Scaup Ducks. 345 



mulation of down is formed sufficient to 

 keep them warm when the Duck leaves 

 them to feed." 



The Scaup lays from six to nine eggs. 

 They are very similar in every way to the 

 eggs of the Pochard, and measure from 

 2*4 to 27 in length and from 1*65 to 175 

 in breadth. The down is dark brown with 

 pale or greyish white centres. The Scaup 

 breeds in June and July. 



The adult male has the whole head, 

 neck, mantle and breast black, glossed 

 with green and purple, according to the 

 light in which the bird is held. The 

 upper part of the abdomen is white ; the 

 lower part white, mottled and vermicu- 

 lated with brown. The under tail-coverts 

 are black. The sides of the body are 

 white, very faintly vermiculated with grey. 

 The axillaries are white ; the under wing- 

 coverts, a mixture of brown and white. 

 The scapulars are pale grey vermiculated 

 with black ; the lower, concealed feathers, 

 plain black. The back and the upper 

 wing-coverts are dark brown vermiculated 

 with white ; the larger wing-coverts almost 

 plain brown. The outer primaries have 

 the inner web drab with a blackish tip, 

 the outer web blackish. The inner pri- 

 maries have the inner web drab, the outer 



