248 BRITISH BIRDS 



feathers brown ; belly white ; bill pale blue ; irides straw-yellow ; 

 legs and feet dull blue. Length, eighteen inches. Female: brown; 

 a broad white band round the base of the bill ; upper breast and 

 mantle vermioulated with grey ; belly dull white. 



The scaup is common with us in winter, and found on most 

 parts of the coast, but never remains to breed. It does not come 

 inland, like the tufted duck and goldeneye, but is met with in 

 estuaries and the mouths of tidal rivers. In its breeding-haunts 

 in the extreme north of Europe it penetrates to lakes and rivers 

 at a considerable distance from the sea. It feeds on shellfish, 

 crustaceans, aquatic insects, also on vegetable food, which it obtains 

 by diving. It is gregarious at all times, and in the breeding season 

 is seen in small flocks, feeding or floating idly on the water. 

 It rises heavily, and flies rapidly, with violently-beating wings. 

 Seebohm, who observed it in its summer haunts, says of its lan- 

 guage : * Of all the cries of ducks that have come under my notice, 

 I think that of the scaup is the most discordant. None of them 

 are very musical, perhaps ; but if you imagine a man with an 

 exceptionally harsh, hoarse voice, screaming out the word scaup at 

 the top of his voice, some idea of the note of this duck may be 

 formed.' 



The scaup makes its nest near the water, and lays from six to 

 nine eggs, of a pale greenish grey colour. 



Pochard. 



Fuligula ferina. 



Head and neck chestnut-red ; breast and upper back black ; 

 mantle finely freckled with black and white ; speculum incon- 

 spicuous and grey ; under parts greyish white ; tail-coverts black : 

 bill black with a blue band across the middle ; irides red ; legs 

 and feet bluish grey. Length, nineteen and a half inches. Female: 

 dull brown ; chin white. 



The pochard is a common winter duck when it comes to us 

 from northern Europe ; it is a resident throughout the year in small 

 numbers, and breeds regularly in many localities in Great Britain and 

 Ireland. As a breeding species it has, however, greatly diminished 

 in numbers, owing to the extensive draining of marshes and meres 



