72 



One of the best known and most highly esteemed of the Ducks. The 

 Canvas-back is associated in the popular mind with terrapin and high- 

 living. This gastronomic fame is largely due to the wild celery, Vallisneria 

 spiralis, upon which it frequently feeds and from which its specific name 

 is derived. However, many other Ducks feeding upon the same plant 

 become equally palatable. On the Great Lakes the introduction of the 

 German Carp has proved very destructive to the once extensive beds of 

 wild celery and wild rice, both of which plants are extremely attractive to 

 all kinds of Ducks. One of the first steps to attract Ducks to reservations 

 and private waters should be the clearing out of carp and the planting of 

 wild celery and wild rice, Zizania aquatica. 



148. Greater Scaup Duck. American scaup, broad-bill, greater or lake 

 blttebill. fr. — le morillon a tete noire. Marila marila. L, 18-50. A medium-sized 

 Duck — male, white below; head, neck, and upper breast black; and a black and white 

 vermiculated canvas-like back. Females without canvas-back; blacks reduced to reddish 

 browns of various shades; white face mark at base of bill. 



Distinctions. Greater and Lesser Scaups are of almost exactly similar coloration 

 but can usually be distinguished by size, or by shape and size of terminal nail on bill. Nail 

 proportionately wider and more nearly circular in the Greater. Head of adult Greater 

 Scaup has greenish gloss instead of changing to slightly purple on crown. Reddish shade 

 on heads of young and females sometimes quite noticeable, and they may be mistaken 

 for the Canvas-back, Redhead, or sometimes the Golden-eye, but white spot at base of 

 bill and across forehead, or white wing-patch are always distinctive of the Scaups. Ring- 

 necked Duck, which also resembles them, has grey speculum instead of white. 



Field Marks. Almost impossible to distinguish the two Scaups in life. Males of both 

 species in flight appear black on front third of body and on the remainder except tail, but 

 including secondary wing-quills, white. White face mark at base of bill, as above, is 

 best field mark for female. 



Nesting. On the ground, in grass near grassy ponds. 



Distribution. Uncommon migrant and rare breeder on Atlantic coast; common 

 on Great Lakes. 



The Greater Scaup is more of an open-water bird than the Lesser as 

 is indicated by one of its common names, but it often comes with other 

 species into the marshes for wild celery and rice. 



149. Lesser Scaup Duck, river broad-bill, little or marsh blttebill. 

 pr. — le petit morillon. Marila affinis. L, 16-50. Almost exactly similar to the last 

 but a little smaller. Crown of adult male has a purplish instead of greenish gloss as on 

 other parts of head. 



Distinctions. See previous species. 



Field Marks. See previous species. Scaups in life distinguished from each other 

 only by size. 



Nesting. On the ground, near grassy ponds. 



Distribution. Slightly less common in eastern Canada than the preceding. Breeds 

 commonly in western Canada and occasionally east to Great Lakes. 



This is one of the commonest Ducks away from the sea-coast and more 

 of a marsh and small-water bird than the preceding. 



150. Ring-necked Duck, ring-billed duck. fr. — le morillon a collier. Marila 

 collaris. L, 16-50. Very close in coloration to preceding two species, but without the 

 canvas-coloured back; with a light ring about bill near end, and faint brown or copper- 

 coloured ring about neck. 



Distinctions. Young Ring-necks and females may be mistaken for either the Scaups, 

 Golden-eye, Redhead, or Canvas-back, 1 but may be distinguished from the Scaups by 

 the grey instead of white speculum, the female by fine white eye-ring; and from any of 

 the other Ducks by white face marks usually connected across chin. 



See footnote, p. 64. 



