THE SCAUP-DUCK. 325 



beetles, Notonecta, etc. Also grass, duckweed (Lemna), berries of 

 hawthorn and water-plants (Polygonum, Potamogeton, Rumex, etc.). 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident, passage -migrant and 

 winter -visitor (mid- Sept .-end Nov. to end March-mid-May). During 

 last twenty years greatly increased and extended range as breeding - 

 species. Now nests in most English counties, in Anglesey, in Scot- 

 land all over south and east as far north as Caithness and Orkneys, 

 as well as in I. and 0. (since 1903) Hebrides, but still only rare visitor 

 to west coast from Argyll north. In Ireland only known as winter - 

 visitor until 1877, now breeds many counties in all provinces. In 

 winter more plentiful and more widely dispersed. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Palsearctic region generally, from Atlantic 

 to Pacific, in Europe south to Balkans, but not in Mediterranean 

 region. In winter south to India and east to China, Japan, Malayan 

 Archipelago, Pelew and Marianne Isles. Casual Pribilof Isles. In 

 Africa south to Abyssinia where it is said to breed. Once recorded 

 Liberia. 



NYROCA MARILA 



314. Nyroca marila marila (L.)— THE SCAUP-DUCK. 



Anas Marila Linnaeus, Fauna Svecica, ed. 11, p. 39 (1761 — Lapland). 

 Fuligula marila (Linnaeus), Yarrell, iv, p. 423 : Saunders, p. 449. 



Description. — Adult male. Winter and summer. — Head and neck 

 all round, upper-mantle and upper-breast black, crown, nape, cheeks 

 and sides of neck glossed 

 green, in some lights 

 purple ; feathers of upper - 

 breast bordering white 

 lower-breast, white with 

 dusky - black vermicula - 

 tions ; mantle and scapu- 

 lars white coarsely vermicu- 

 lated black-brown ; lower 

 scapulars black - brown, 

 some more or less vermicu- 

 lated white ; back black- 

 brown vermiculated white ; 



rump and Upper tail-CO VertS The Scaup . Duc k (Nyroca m. marila). Adult male. 



black-brown glossed dull 

 green ; rest of breast and belly white ; feathers of sides of belly and 

 flanks white with a few faint wavy dusky lines ; lower -belly and 

 vent white more or less vermiculated dusky and black-brown ; under 

 tail-coverts black ; axillaries white vermiculated dusky at tip ; under 

 wing-coverts mostly white ; tail-feathers sepia or mouse-grey with 

 dark shafts ; primaries sepia or dusky- brown, tipped black-brown 

 faintly glossed olive, inner webs paler shading to white, outer webs 

 of inneriprimaries more or less white or palest drab ; secondaries 



