184 ANATIDiE. 



grasses, or from these districts beiug out of its migratory line, 

 from the north- eastern parts of Europe ^^ (p. 347). To the latter 

 cause its scarcity cannot be owing, as tlie preceding information 

 respecting the species in the more western island fully shows. 



The Nyroca Duck, or White-eyed Duck,* FuUgula nyroca, 

 Gmel. (sp.), F. leucoplithalmos, T?lem. Bechst. (sp.), has not been ob- 

 tained in Ireland. One has been seen in the Edinburgh market by Sir 

 Wm. Jardine, but where killed is not stated. The species is said to have 

 "been observed in Orkney." f According to Yan'ell, a "few are an- 

 nually taken " in England, generally in " the eastern counties between 

 the Thames and the Humber." The east of England would, therefore, 

 appear to be the western limit of its regular migration ; the few indi- 

 viduals which have been killed more to the westward (as two procured 

 near Oxford, &c.), being stragglers. The more southern portion of 

 Europe eastward of England seems to be its chief habitat on that con- 

 tinent. Its distribution extends over a great portion of central Asia, 

 and the more eastern part of northern Africa. 



THE SCAUP DUCK.J 



White-faced Duck ; Bridle Duck. 



"■ FuUgula 7narila, Linn, (sp.) 

 Anas „ „ 



Is a regular winter visitant to the coast, and the most 

 plentiful of the Fidi(julcB. 



» Belfast Bay. 



The scaup duck is the earliest of its genus in arriving here, gene- 

 rally making its first appearance in September. For seven suc- 

 cessive years — 1838-1844 — it was first seen in that month; the 



* Ferruginous Duck of Montagu and Yarrell. Bewick figui'es the ruddy shell- 

 drake under the same name. 



t ' Hist. Nat. Oread.' p. 80. 



% The scaup is sometimes called Norioaij dtick, and the old male yreen-headed 

 diver in Belfast Bay: bridle duck is one of the names for it in Dublin market. It 

 is called mule by the fowlers at Wexford (J. Poole). In reference to the first of 

 these names it may be mentioned that the scaup is called Norwegian teal at Banff, 

 Scotland (Rev. J. Smith, in ' Zoologist/ vol. vi. p. 2293). ' 



