SCAUP DUCK 



85 



short, rounded, and of a dusky brown ; belly white, crossed near 

 the vent with waving lines of ash; vent black; legs and feet dark 

 slate. 



Such is the color of the bird in its perfect state. Young birds 

 vary considerably, some having the head black mixed with grey 

 and purple, others the back dusky with little or no white, and that 

 irregularly dispersed. 



The female has the front and sides of the same white, head 

 and half of the neck blackish brown ; breast, spreading round to 

 the back, a dark sooty brown, broadly skirted with whitish ; back 

 black thinly sprinkled with grains of white, vent whitish ; wings 

 the same as in the male. 



The windpipe of the male of this species is of large diame- 

 ter; the labyrinth similar to some others, though not of the largest 

 kind ; it has something of the shape of a single cockle shell ; its 

 open side or circular rim, covered with a thin transparent skin. 

 Just before the windpipe enters this, it lessens its diameter at least 

 two thirds, and assumes a flattish form. 



The Scaup Duck is well known in England. It inhabits Ice- 

 land and the more northern parts of the continent of Europe, Lap- 

 land, Sweden, Norway, and Russia. It is also common on the 

 northern shores of Siberia. Is very frequent on the river Ob. 

 Breeds in the north, and migrates southward in winter. It in- 

 habits America as high as Hudson's Bay, and retires from this 

 last place in October.^ 



* Latham. 



VOL» VIII, 



Y 



