SCAO" DUCK 299 



The Leser Scaup Dnck i; a oMniKon migrant off Long 

 Islind an I in the lower Hudson Yallev. occumng in S^jJ"- 

 tember and October, and in February and March : in Xew 

 Eng!i:id it is less common, and appears generilly in the au- 

 tumn, often in company Trith the followicg species. Ir oc- 

 curs both on the c;>as: and in inland p-ocds. It is doubtful 

 whether it occurs in winter, though tiie Greater S-;anp is 

 common at that season. The two sp-ecies resemble each 

 other Ter\' clc>sely. but may be distinguished in gc-xl light 

 and at clcee range" by the color of the head, which is pur- 

 plish in the Lesser, greenisli in the Greater. t^See foil: wing 

 species.) 



ScATTP Duck : Bltte-biul. Ai/~hya marila 



S IS JO. C 17jO 



Ad. c ' — Head, nect, tqipa- iadt, and hrfoit Nadb, the head 

 and neck showing greenish lefleetions in stnmg light ; middle of 

 back white, matted with narrow wary Uack lines; speoulom 

 white : a tekite ftripe along idnp rien spread, lower belly and 

 sides pore white ; under taH-coTeits black : bill blne-grar ; legs 

 and feet lead-eolor. Ad. 9 . — Black of J replaced by brown ; 

 region arotind ioie or' bSl tchite ; wings brown ; speculum and 

 stripe in extended wing white ; under parts not so pure white ; 

 bQl and feet as in ~ . 



The Svaup or Blue-bill is a common migrant along the 

 coast of Xew York and iN^ew England in March and April, 

 and in October and XoTeml>er : it is us'iaUy an abundant 

 winter visitant in Long Island S:nni, and ccours in winter 

 at least as far north as Massachusens Bay. Lite the other 

 sea ducks it occurs on laige inland rivers and on fresh- 

 water ponds near the sea. Blue-bills ciren occur in very 

 larse flocks, and when alarmed they swim toward a common 

 centre, forming a compact bunch, which then swims away 

 from the disturbing factor. They fly in a characteristic wav- 

 ing line, showing a stripe of white along the outstretched 

 wing. The male may be known by his black head, neck, 



