ANATIN^ — THE DUCKS — SPATULA. 529 



According to Giraud, it is met with in small nnmbers on Long Island, where it is 

 known to hunters by the name of the " Spoon-bill." It is occasionally met with 

 along the sea-coast ; but is much more generally found in the lakes and fresh-water 

 streams, although never abundant in any part of Long Island. Its flesh is tender 

 and juicy, and is deservedly held in high esteem. Mr. J. A. Allen met with this 

 species in the valley of Salt Lake^ in Utah, where he found it common. 



Our space would not suffice to enumerate the various records of its presence in 

 different parts of the Old World, where it seems to have an almost universal distri- 

 bution. Mr. Salvin met with it in small numbers near Zara, in Northeastern Africa. 

 Mr. Saunders found it not uncommon in Southern Spain, where it was supposed to be 

 resident, and to breed. Captain G. E. Shelley (''Ibis," 1871) found it one of the 

 most abundant of the Ducks throughout Egypt, where also some remained to breed. 

 Mr. E. C. Taylor met with it in Egypt ; Mr. Tristram in Southern Palestine on the 

 Jordan, and in the region of the Sahara. Mr. T. L. Powys records it as common in 

 the winter in Greece. It was observed in Japan by Mr. H. Whitely (''Ibis," 1867) ; 

 and also in Japan and China by other authorities. 



According to Yarrell, it is chiefly a winter visitant in Great Britain, inhabiting 

 marshes, lakes, rivers, and muddy shores, gathering its food in shallow water. It is 

 most plentiful on the eastern parts of England, and breeds in various places, from 

 Essex to Lincolnshire. Various attempts have been made to rear this bird from 

 the egg, but generally without much success. During the summer of 1841 a pair of 

 Shovellers made a nest and brought out their young on one of the islands in the 

 Garden of the Zoological Society. The bills of these ducklings were as narrow and 

 the sides as parallel as the bills of some young Gadwalls hatched at the same time. 

 The egg of the Shoveller is described as buffy-white, tinged Avith green, 2.17 inches 

 long, and 1.50 wide. 



Yarrell says that this bird is not common in Scandinavia, where it is chiefly confined 

 to the south of Sweden, and that it is found in Russia and Germany, is abundant in 

 Holland, and breeds regularly in the marshes of France. It also occurs in various 

 parts of India, and nearly throughout Asia. Mr. Dresser states that it has not been 

 found in Southern Africa ; but Mr. Yarrell refers to specimens brought from there by 

 Mr. Andrew Smith. Von Heuglin speaks of it as a permanent resident in Abyssinia. 

 In ISTubia, according to Captain Shelley, it seemed to prefer the smaller pools and the 

 banks of lakes and rivers, and to be less shy than other species of Water-Fowl. He 

 speaks of its flesh as " very inferior eating." Dr. Jerdon, in recording its occurrence 

 in India, speaks of it as feeding, near the edges of tanks, in shallow water, among 

 weeds, chiefly on minute worms and larvae, which it sifts from the mud. 



Although a fresh-Avater Duck, it is not infrequently met Avith on the coast ; but 

 its favorite resort is fresh Avaters overgrown Avith aquatic plants. It is not particu- 

 larly shy, and is generally seen in flocks. It feeds on the seeds of various water- 

 plants, grain, and minute Avater-insects, for which last its fringed mandibles are 

 especially useful, enabling it to expel the water, and yet retain the minutest insects 

 gathered in at the same time. On account of its fondness for insects one author has 

 named the species muscaria. 



In Europe it breeds in May, June, and July. Its nest — placed close to some 

 fresh-water pond or lake — is a hole scratched in the soil, lined with a few grasses 

 and a considerable quantity of doAvn plucked from the bird itself. In Denmark it 

 breeds near the coast, and on islands in the fiords. The nests are usually concealed 

 in the high grass or under Ioav bushes, and contain from nine to fourteen eggs. 

 Eggs have been found as early as the 2d of May and as late as the 24th of July. 



VOL. I. — 67 



