1044 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Gould's prognostications have not altogether been realized. So far 

 as I am aware there is not an Australian skin of the Common Shoveller, 

 with its bronzy-gi-een head and neck, white chest and conspicuous 

 chestnut abdomen, in any of oiu- local museums, but a correspondent 

 from Queensland sends a description of a strange Duck he shot near 

 Yandilla some years ago. From its " being similar to the Shoveller, 

 commonly called ' Bluewing,' but it had a snow-white ring round its 

 neck, and snow-white upper-half of its breast, the two joined," I ha,ve 

 not the slightest doubt that the Duck was the Common Shoveller, 

 of Europe. 



756. — Spatula rhynchotis, Latham. — (588) 

 .S'. vfirie(/ata, Govild. 



SHOVELLER. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vii., pi. 12. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxvii., p. 314. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Potts; Trans. New Zealand Inst., vol. iii, 



p. 103 (1871); BuUer : Birds of New Zealand (1873). also vol. ii. 



p. 272 (iS88); Ramsay: Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, vol. vii., 



p 57(1882); Campbell: Southern Science Record (1883); North; 



Austn. Mus. Cat., p. 343 (1889), also app- ii. (1890), 



Geographical DiMrihutinn, — Australia, in general and Tasmania; also 

 New Zealand. 



Nest. — ^Usually a slight hollow upon the ground, lined with grass, 

 a few feathei-s and down, and situated amongst lierbage — grass, thistles, 

 crops, &c., frequently away from water; rarely in a liollow tree. Ne.st- 

 down brov^fnish-grey, each particle lightcr-coloiu-ed on the tips, and whitish 

 in the centre. 



Eggs. — Clutch, seven to nine usually, eleven maximum ; roimdish 

 oval in shape, or ellipticaUy inclined ; texture of shell fine ; sm^- 

 face glossy and greasy; colom-, light creamy-white, with a faint gi-ecnish 

 tinge. Dimensions in inches of a proper clutch; (1) 2-18 x 1-52, 

 (2) 2-15 X 1-5.5, (3) 2-13 x 1-52, (4) 2-1 x l-53,.(5) 2-09 x 1-5, (6) 2-08 x 1-53, 

 (7) 2-07 x 1-54, (8) 2-06 x 1-5, (9) 2-05 x 1-54. 



Observations. — Tlic Shoveller, or the Bluewing of the sportsman, is 

 a most beautiful Duck, and probably the vnldest of its tribe. I wa.s 

 once close to a pair that pitched on a. rocky river pool, shaded by black 

 wattles (acacia). The male was lovely in his dark-brownish coat, with 

 the underneath parts rich, reddish-chestnut, oacli feather being touched 

 with black at the tip. The plumage generally was enhanced by the 

 beauty of the light-bluish patch on each shoulder, which is divided from 

 the glossy green secondaries by a white stripe. The eyes were yellowish, 

 which should match the fcot in colour, while the broad bill (Iience thi; 

 name Shoveller) was purplish-black. Tlic female was not so highly 



