FULIGULA MARILA. 
Scaup Duck. 
/Inas niarila, Limi. Faun. Suec., p. 39. 
frenata, Sparrm. Mus. Carls., tab. 38. 
Fuligula marila, Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xii. p. 198. 
Gesneri, Ray ; Eyton, Hist, of Rarer Brit. Birds, p. 58. 
Nyroca marila, Flem. Phil, of Zool., vol. ii. p. 260. 
Aythya marila, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 564. 
islandicus, Brehm, Vbg. Deutschl., p. 911. 
leiiconotus, Brehm, ibid., p. 913. 
Marila frenata, Bonap. Compt. Rend, de I’Acad. Sci., tom. xliii. seances des 15 et 22 Sept. 1856. 
Anas subterranea, Scopoli (Bonap.). 
Fulix marila, Baird, Cat. of N. Amer. Birds in Mus. Smiths. Instit., p. 1. 
How much more numerous are the members of the great family Anatidoe, or Ducks, in all the northern 
j)ortions of the globe than in the countries lying southward of the equator ! Such genera as Clangula, 
Harelda, Fuligula, Mareca, Nyroca, Oidemia, and Somateria are almost wholly wanting in the latter division 
of the world : they are exclusively northern forms ; and species of most (if not of all) of them are inhabitants 
of the British Islands. 
The Scaup Duck with us is strictly a winter visitant ; for, although it is stated that Sir William Jardine 
shot a female attended by her young on a small loch between Loch Hope and Eriboll, in Sutherlandshire, in 
the month of June 1834, that is, I believe, the only instance of such an occurrence, and it is just possible that 
he may have been mistaken as to the young bird. Scaups, like many other species, begin to arrive from the 
north in autumn, and immediately spread themselves over the maritime portion of Britain, where they enter 
bays, estuaries, and the mouths of all the great rivers, from north to south. If the weather be severe, the 
London markets receive a fair supply ; no epicure, however, would think of purchasing a Scaup for the table, 
any more than he would a Scoter or a Sheldrake — the flesh of this molluscous-feeding bird being strong, 
fishy, tough, and unpalatable, when compared with that of the delicate grass-eating Pintail, Teal, Widgeon, 
and Mallard. The unsavoury nature of its flesh does not, however, detract from its interest in the eyes of 
the naturalist ; for he sees in it the typical illustration of one of the many genera into which the Anatidrs are 
now divided. 
In a state of nature the Scaup is a fine showy species, the males with their large dark-green heads 
and hoary-grey backs presenting a strong contrast to the brown bodies and white faces of the other 
sex. I am unable to say whether the transformation of plumage common to so many of the males of 
other Ducks takes place in this species also ; .in all probability it does, and both sexes closely assimilate 
in outward appearance just after the season of incubation. In Iceland the Scaup breeds freely, and most 
of the collectors vvho have visited that island have had no difficulty in procuring its eggs. Professor 
Reinhardt states that it is also found in Greenland, at which we need not be surprised, since it 
is known to inhabit the whole of the northern regions of America, as well as all the countries in the 
same latitude in the Old World, from Norway to Siberia, China, and Japan ; the Scaup is, in fact, a frequenter 
of the countries just within and without the arctic circle in all situations suitable to its habits. That in the 
cold season it goes as far south as Amoy, in China, we have the authority of Mr. Swinhoe ; while, nearer 
home, it not only occurs at the same period in all parts of Southern Europe, but also in Algeria and in 
most of the other provinces of Africa north of the line. In India it is scarce and, according to Mr. Jerdon, 
is only found on the northeini hills. 
If the various local faunas of the birds of our islands be consulted, the reader will learn that, accordino- to 
Mr. Rodd, it is rare in the western districts of Cornwall, a few only occurring in severe weather, that in 
Morayshire it is now less numerous than formerly (at least so says Mr. St. John) ; and Mr. Dunn states that it 
is plentiful in Orkney, but less so in Shetland. These affirmations apply more or less to particular periods ; 
for at one season it may be scarce in those and many other localities, and at another just as numerous. Why 
this should be, it is not easy to explain ; and hence it will answer no good end to enumerate in detail 
the rivers, lakes, and indentations of the sea in which the Scaup has been seen or shot in this country; 
but I may state that, besides being found on the southern part of the European continent, it is especially 
abundant in Holland and In all the fluviatile portions of Austria, Hungary, Turkey, &c. 
“The Scauj),” says Mr. Selby, “prefers the muddy shores ^of the ocean or such parts oidy of rivers as 
