DESCRIPTIVE LIST 73 



regarded by many gunners as the best for securing a large bag. A driving mist or 

 a thin snow render the possibilities of the hunter even greater. These birds fly with 

 surprising rapidity. While shooting from a blind in Pamlico Sound we invariably 

 missed the few straggling Canvasbacks that passed. It was only when we learned 

 to fire at a point ten or twelve feet ahead of the flying birds that success crowned 

 our efforts. When but slightly wounded this bird will dive with great alacrity and, 

 swimming for many rods beneath the surface, will rise an instant for breath and 

 again disappear before the gunner can fire. 



There is much evidence that this splendid game-bird is perceptibly decreasing, 

 the occasional reported increase in various localities being easily accounted for by 

 the change in flight for the season. 



54. Marila marila (Linn.}. SCAUP DUCK: BIG BLACKHEAD. 



Description. Head, neck, and breast black in male; no ring round neck; back and scapulars 

 grayish white irregularly zigzagged with black; head with greenish gloss. Female duller, the 

 head and neck brown, with white around the base of bill, upperparts mainly brown. L., 18.00- 

 20.00; W., 8.25-9.00. 



Range. Northern part of Northern Hemisphere, breeding mainly north of the United 

 States, wintering from Maine to Florida. 



Range in North Carolina. Coastal region in winter, but mainly in Pamlico Sound. 



The Big Blackhead is much more of a "raft" duck than the Little Blackhead, 

 approaching more nearly the Redhead in its habits and range. It is found chiefly 

 on the salt-water and brackish sounds. Here it often congregates in companies of 

 many thousands, and does not, at such times, decoy with the frequency and absence 

 of caution that are so characteristic of the Lesser Scaup. 



W. M. Webb of Morehead City, who, in his capacity of State Oyster Commis- 

 sioner, probably travels the waters of Core and Pamlico sounds to a greater extent 

 than any other person during the ducking season, and who is besides an ardent 

 and observing sportsman, writes as follows : "The number of Big Blackheads out- 

 number the Little Blackheads three to one on Pamlico and Core sounds. I should 

 say that there are more Little Blackheads killed for the reason that they travel 

 singly, in pairs, or small bunches, and decoy better than any duck we have. On the 

 other hand, the Big Blackheads travel in large numbers and are as wary as Red- 

 heads. There have been more of the Big Blackheads and Redheads during the past 

 two seasons than at any time during the last ten years." (Extract from letter 

 dated August 17, 1911.) 



C. S. Brinson, a lifelong resident on Currituck Sound, and a large game-dealer, 

 states in a letter dated September 1, 1911, that the Little Blackhead is the most 

 plentiful of all ducks on Currituck, but that the Big Blackhead "Broadbill," as 

 he calls it is equally plentiful on the lower salt-water sounds. From 1914 to 

 1918, bags of Blackheads taken on New River, in Onslow County, have at times 

 contained a good percentage of the larger species. Ordinarily, the Lesser Scaup 

 is the common duck on these waters, but when ducks in general are compara- 

 tively scarce, it sometimes occurs that the Big Blackheads taken outnumber the 

 smaller species. I have weighed several pairs of these birds that ran over 4?/ 

 pounds to the pair, one pair weighed reaching five pounds even. H. H. BRIMLEY. 



