33 
The greater scaup duck, blackhead or bluebill was once 
ver y abundant in Massachusetts waters. The scaup decreased 
rapidly off the Massachusetts coast, until they became rather 
rare a few years ago. Mr. Mackay, however, says they are 
now becoming common at Hantucket, and Mr. Hoffman rates 
them as common migrants. 1 
The lesser scaup, raft duck, little blackhead, or bluebill, 
as it is known among the gunners, was once one of the 
most abundant of all ducks along the Atlantic seaboard. 
Hanging to middle or southern Florida in winter, it is ex- 
posed to the gunners all along the coast. It has decreased 
more than some other bay ducks, — perhaps for this reason. 
I found it in northern Florida in 1878, the most abundant 
water fowl I have ever seen. At that time great “ rafts ” 
of these ducks, at least a mile in length, were seen on Indian 
River. When a boat approached one of these great masses 
of birds, those nearest the boat would rise and fly over the 
flock, making one continuous roar of wings as the boat ap- 
proached. While crossing Lake George on a steamer, the 
remarkable spectacle was witnessed of a sheet of water dotted 
all over with these ducks as far as the eye could see. In 1899 
in the same region there were still some large flocks, but I 
estimated that the birds had diminished fully 75 per cent. 
The lesser scaup is now growing rare in this State. Red- 
heads and canvasbacks have never been recorded as generally 
common in Massachusetts. Mr. Mackay says that more red- 
heads were seen at Hantucket in the winter of 1903-04 than 
for many years, and many have been taken recently on 
Martha’s Vineyard. 
The Pond and River Ducks ( Subfamily Anatince). — Mr. 
Hoffman says : “ Seven species belonging to this division 
occur regularly in eastern Hew York and Hew England. 
All but one, however, are now so rare that the ordinary ob- 
server will hardly come across them.” 2 This is indeed true 
in regard to Massachusetts. In the course of this inquiry 
only one observer reported these ducks as holding their 
own ; all others reported them as decreasing. These birds 
1 “ A Guide to the Birds of New England and New York,” Ralph Hoffman, p. 299. 
2 Ibid., p. 301. 
