THE SCAUP DUCK. 137 



several smaller, could be seen at one view. So many of these 

 birds as lOjOOO are considered to have been seen together in the 

 seasons of their abundance. The last date of their thus appear- 

 ing was in the middle of February ISSO."^ One of these great 

 flocks is described as rising from the water with thundering 

 noise. They do not all rise at once, but, commencing at one end 

 of the flock, gradually take wing, keeping up a continuous noise, 

 which may be compared to that of feu de joie, until the whole 

 are in the air : those which sprang first would be past the farther 

 end of the flock before its time came to take wing. The noise 

 kept by a multitude of these birds feeding in the little shallow 

 pools exposed at low water on the sea-banks in the stillness of the 

 night, is described as resembling the sound of a waterfall: — shooters 

 hearing it on such occasions at the distance of more than half a 

 mile have been tempted to go in pursuit of them. In the middle 

 of February 1845, when scaups were remarkably plentiful, they 

 appeared in thousands far up the bay, and remained there for 

 some weeks. 



I remarked from a steam-vessel proceeding towards Belfast, on 

 the 29th of January, 1840, that when near a mile from the town, 

 about 150 birds appeared ranged along the edge of the ebbing 

 tide, like Grallatores. They looked white and brilliant as oyster- 

 catchers, which they seemed to be, until on taking flight they 

 were observed to be ducks, and the white marking at the base of the 

 bill becoming apparent, proved them to be scaups : a short way 

 from them was another flock of about 100, which, like the others, 

 as they rose on wing appeared very beautiful. Their white aspect 

 on the ground led me to believe that they were adult males ; but the 

 marking just mentioned being that of the old female and imma- 

 ture birds disproved this, and I subsequently learned that adult 

 males were extremely scarce that season. The wliite appearance 

 of the birds must therefore be attributed to a particular cfl'cct of 

 light. Of forty-five of these ducks killed in the course of a 

 week by tlu"ee shooters at this time, there were about two 



* They have appeared in a flock, covering the suilacc of the water (o an extent, 

 as was considered, equivalent to six English acres. 



