452 
SCAUP DUCK. 
SCAPULARS. — * Those feathers which arise from the shoulders 
and cover the sides of the back.* 
SCARF and SC ART. — Names for the Shag and the Cormorant. 
SCAURIE. — A name for the Herring Gull. 
SCAUP DUCK {Nyroca marila, Fleming.) 
Anas Marila, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 196. 8. — Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 509. — Lath. Ind. Orn. 
2. p. 853. 54. — Temm. Man. d’Orn. 2, p. 865. — Glaucium minus striatum, 
Bi'iss. 6. p. 416. 26. A Ib. 8vo. 2. p. 470. — Fuligula Gesneri, Raii^ Syn. p. 
142. A. 6 Will. p. 279. — Anas fraenata, Sparmann mus carls. 2. p. 38. female. 
Scaup Duck, Br. Zool. 2. No. 275. t. 100.— -J6. fol. p. 153. t. Q. — Arct. Zool. 2. 
No. 498. — Lath. Syn. 6. p. 500. 49. — Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 20. — Wale. Syn. 
1. t. 60. — Lewin’s Br. Birds, 7. t. 250. — Wils. Amer. Orn. 8. pi, 69. 3. — Flem. 
Br. Anim. p. 122. — Linn. Trans. 4. p. 128. pi. 14. (Trachea.) 
Provincial . — Spoonbill Duck. 
The length of this species is about twenty-one inches ; weight 
sometimes as much as thirty-five ounces ; the bill is broad, and not so 
much compressed as usual in this genus ; colour bluish-lead ; nail black ; 
irides light gold-colour; the head and upper part of the neck black, 
glossed with green, and, from being well clothed with feathers, appears 
large ; the lower part of the neck and breast black ; back and scapulars 
pale grey, undulated with innumerable small transverse lines of black ; 
the wing coverts the same, but minutely small ; lower part of the back, 
rump, and vent, black ; the primores are dusky, lightest on their inner 
webs, and black at the ends ; the secondary quills, except a few next 
the body, are white tipped with black, forming a broad bar of white 
across the wing ; the under part of the body is white, sprinkled between 
the thighs with dusky ; the tail is composed of dusky-black feathers ; 
legs lead-colour. In some we have seen, the white in the wing is edged 
with rust-colour : it is also subject to other varieties. 
The Scaup Duck is not uncommon in most parts of this kingdom 
in winter, and is frequently found in fresh waters. It is supposed to 
take its name from feeding on broken shells called scaup. This, like 
most of the genus, breeds in the more northern parts ; is common in 
Russia, Sweden, Norway, and Lapland ; and is found at Hudson’s Bay 
in the warmer months. 
* The male and female make the same grunting noise, and both have 
the same singular toss of the head, with an opening of the bill, while 
sporting on the water in spring. This peculiar gesture would be suffi- 
cient to identify the species, were all other distinctions wanting. 
During the summer months, when the larvve of various insects are 
to be found in the mud at the bottom of the pond, these birds are con- 
tinually diving ; but they are perfectly contented with barley, and 
become so tame as to come to the edge of the water for a bit of bread. 
