84 
FRANK FORESTER’S FIELD SPORTS. 
quick rattling or rolling sound. Its migratory flight is high and 
rapid. In winter, it is common on the Ohio and Mississippi 
Rivers, and their tributaries. In the Chesapeake Bay, where it 
is abundant, it is called ‘ Black-headed,’ in Virginia, ‘ Raft 
Duck.’ ”— Giraud’s Birds of Long Island. 
LESSER SCAUP DUCK. 
Fuligula Marita ; Aud. Fuligula Minor ; Giraud. 
“ Specific Character. —Length of bill along the gap, two 
inches; of tarsi one inch and an eighth; from the point of the bill 
to the end of the tail-feathers seventeen inches; wing eight inches. 
Adult with the feathers on the head longer, more tufted, than 
F. marila ; the head and neck more deeply tinged with purple; 
the white markings on the wings confined to the secondaries, 
while in F. marila the white band spreads over the primaries. 
“ The female is smaller than the male, and bears the same 
resemblance in markings to the male as the female of F. marila 
does to the male of that species. The white band on the wings 
as pointed out, is at all times the best specific character. 
“ This bird is very closely allied to the preceding, so nearly 
that it has been overlooked and confounded with that species by 
our most eminent Ornithologists. On a close investigation, we 
find well-defined specific characters in marking, &c., as well as 
inferiority in point of size. The Lesser Scaup Duck is well 
known to the bay gunners by the name of ‘ Creek Broad-bill,’ 
from its habit of frequenting the small streams, while the Scaup 
Duck— F. marila —is usually observed on the open bays. It is 
a very abundant species, and during autumn and the early part 
of spring, is quite common along the middle Atlantic districts, 
as well as on the streams in the interior. Its choice of food, mi¬ 
grations and breeding range, are similar to the former.”— Gi¬ 
raud’s Birds of Long Island. 
