THE SCAUP. 273 
throughout the winter, as we invariably find them in mixed 
flocks composed of about equal numbers of males and females. 
The Scaup swims high on the water. They are very expert 
divers, remaining immersed even longer than the Golden-eye ; 
and I have frequently known them to continue underneath from 
fifty to sixty seconds. In the evening at dusk and on moon-light 
nights, Scaups leave the water and fly up on the flats to feed ; 
they are then often killed by our gunners who are lying in wait 
on the muds for Widgeon and Mallard.’ Montagu says that both 
the male and female have a peculiar habit of tossing up their 
heads and opening their bills, which in spring is continued for 
a considerable time, while they are swimming and sporting 
on the water, and they emit a grunting sort of cry. When 
caught and kept in confinement, the Scaup soon becomes quite 
tame; and, although in a wild state, it feeds chiefly on marine 
moliusca, yet it soon accustoms itself to feeding on vegetable 
matter, and will freely eat grain, especially barley. 
“ When feeding, the Scaup is, as a rule, very easy of approach ; 
for it is far less suspicious than most of its allies, and will fre- 
quently allow a boat to come within gun-shot-range without 
taking wing.” 
“ Although it rises,” Macgillivray says, “without difficulty, it 
usually prefers diving to escape pursuit, and is so expert in 
this that it is very difficult to shoot on the water. Though 
common in the markets, it is not thought much of for the table, 
its flesh being rather rank.” 
BREEDING HABITUALLY so far north as this species does, it is, 
prima facie, highly improbable that it should ever breed within 
our limits. Still our having procured a young bird of this 
species, only (apparently) just able to fly, on the lake near 
Srinugger in Kashmir, on the Ist of August, does awaken 
the suspicion that a pair or two may occasionally linger to 
breed in the comparatively elevated lakes of that state. Any- 
how no one has yet found a nest there, and for the nidification 
of this species we must refer to European writers. 
Yarrell says:—“Mr. Proctor sent me word that the Scaup 
Duck is a very common species in Iceland, where it breeds 
either among the aquatic herbage or the large stones, near the 
edge of fresh water, making little or no nest, but a quantity of 
down covering the eggs, which are from five to eight in number. 
An egg brought from Iceland by Mr. Proctor, and figured in 
Mr. Hewitson’s work, is of a uniform clay brown colour, 2°37 
inches in length by 1°62 in breadth.” 
Dresser again tells us that:—“ This species breeds in the 
northern portions of both the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. 
The nest is placed on the ground under a bush, or well concealed 
amongst high grass, more seldom ina hole or under a stone, 
or 
