rULIGULA. 223 



The " Blue-bill," as the Scaup is called in America, is found on the inland waters of 

 the United States in winter, when it also frequents the coast in some numbers. The 

 bird feeds chiefly by night, the food consisting of small molluscs and water-plants, 

 which it obtains by diving. The nest is roughly constructed in a hollow in the 

 ground, with a few straws and a little down for lining. The eggs are of a pale olive- 

 grey colour 3. 



2. Puligula affinis. 



Fuligula affinis, Eyton, Men. Anat. p. 157 1; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 231'; P. Z. S. 1876, 

 p. 399' ; Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 219* ; Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 360'. 



Fulix affinis, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. York, ix. pp. 143°, 210^ ; Mem. Bost, Soc. Nat. Hist. ii. p. 315 '; 

 Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 234' ; Baird, Brewer, & Ridgw. Water-Birds N. Amer. ii. p. 22"°. 



Aythya affinis, Ferrari -Perez, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. ix. p. 174"; A. O. U. Check -1. N. Amer. 

 Birds, 2Dd ed. p. 53 ''. 



F. marilce similis, sed minor et fasciis dorsalibus albis magis conspicuis ; alls ut in F. marila coloratis ; 

 tectricibus alarum vix albo vermiculatis ; tectricibus primariorum et priraariis externis cinerascenti- 

 brunneis, apicem versus nigris, primariis interioribus extus brunnescenti-griseis, iutus saturatioribus ; 

 pileo et. coUo purpureo-nigris, collo laterali viridi niteutibus : rostro cyaneo, apice nigro. Long, tota 

 circa 16-0, alse 82, caudee 2-5, culm. 1-75, tarsi 1-35. (Descr. maris adulti ex Corpus Christi, Texas. 

 itus. nostr.) 



5 femiuse F. marila similis, sed minor, primariis interioribus saturatioribus, cinerascenti-brunneis. Long, 

 tota circa 16"0, alse 7"3, caudse 2-5, culm. 1'55, tarsi 1'3. (Descr. feminse adultse ex Duenas. Mus. uostr.) 



ITab. NoETH Amekica in general, breeding chiefly north of the United States, migrating 

 south in winter to Central America ^ ^^. — Mexico, Mazatlan {Grayson ^), Zacatecns 

 {Richardson^), Orizaba {Sumichrast ^), Epatlan, Puebla {Ferrari-Ferez ^i), Progreso, 

 Yucatan {Schott'^); Guatemala, Lakes of Dueiias and Atitlan {0. S.^^); Costa 

 B.1CA, San Antonio {v. Frantzius ^) ; Panama, Castillo, Yeraguas {Arce'^). 



The Lesser Scaup is a smaller bird than F. marila, which it otherwise resembles 

 in plumage. The two forms have apparently been confounded together by many 

 observers, and Mr. Ridgway considers it not improbable that connecting-links may 

 be discovered, so that F. affinis would ap])ear to be nothing but a small race of 

 F. marila. 



It is found far to the north in summer, extending even to the Arctic Ocean, and 

 breeding generally throughout the Fur Countries and Alaska. On migration the bird 

 occurs all over the United States, frequenting the coast in winter. At tliis season 

 the Lesser Scaup has been met with at Mazatlan, in Western Mexico ^ ; we also 

 obtained numerous specimens on the Lake of Duenas in Guatemala during the winter, 

 and Salvin noticed it on the Lake of Atitlan as late as the month of May ^. 



F. affinis resembles its larger ally in habits and food, and, like it, may frequently 

 be seen in large flocks. The eggs are described as pale greyish-buflF, with a tinge of 

 olive 10. 



