THE SCAUP DUCK. 
139 
of feeding, in which both species participate, is mentioned. On 
looking to the stomachs of a number of these birds killed in 
the north of Ireland, chiefly in the locality now treated of, from 
November until March in various years, and in all kinds of wea- 
ther, I have found that minute univalve shell-fish almost exclu- 
sively constitute their food. These are Littorina littorea and L . 
retusa, Lacuna quadrifasciata, Rissoa ulvce, Cerithium reticulatum , 
and Nassa macula. One was filled with fragments of the bivalve Nu- 
cula margaritacea, and another contained a number of the seeds 
of Zostera marina, in addition to Rissoa ulvcc, this being the only 
instance in which any vegetable matter was found. Minute Crus- 
tacea, as Idotece, &c., I have likewise met with ; — large pebbles, 
even half an inch in diameter, are sometimes in them. Wil- 
lughby remarks that this bird “is called the scaup-duck because 
she feeds upon scaup, i. e., broken shell-fish” (p. 365). 
Wounded scaups (as has been remarked by Montagu) soon 
become familiar. An acquaintance, endeavouring to pet winged 
birds at different times, could not induce them to eat until a large 
vessel with water was introduced, into which their food was 
thrown, and then, on every occasion, they at once partook of it. 
He believed they would have died rather than take any food in a 
dry state. I have seen them a few days after capture follow per- 
sons round a pond for bread, &c. ; and have been amused at 
their preference to diving for food, rather than taking it on the 
surface. When oats, for example, were thrown on the water, 
they dived after the odd grains that fell towards the bottom, in- 
stead of taking them off the top, where they floated in quantity. 
Mr. B. Ball has supplied the following note : — “ A scaup duck 
had a nest and about seven eggs, in the spring of 1843, at the 
Gardens of the Eoyal Zoological Society, Phoenix Park, Dublin ; 
but I could not discover what male she was paired with ; she sat 
for some weeks, until the eggs disappeared, probably having been 
stolen : I have seen her since occasionally. As this duck was 
able to fly, and there was no record of her being placed on the 
