THE SHOVELLER. 475 



longer than that of the Mallard or the Eider, and nearly twice 

 as broad at the tip as it is at the base, thus giving the spe- 

 cies a very peculiar and almost awkward appearance. The 

 tongue, and a prominent ridge along the deeply concave roof 

 of the mouth, are well provided with large and rather pecul- 

 iarly formed papillae, in order to augment the sensitiveness 

 of touch and taste. The large lamellae along the edges 

 of the immense bill give the bird a peculiar grinning 

 aspect. 



The comparatively long measurement for the w^eight, 

 nearly or quite 20 inches, is due partly to the slender body, 

 but more especially to the long bill and tail. The bill is dark; 

 the head and upper part of the neck, blackish, with green 

 and purplish reflections; the color by no means pure, how- 

 ever; the lower neck, upper breast, anterior scapulars, longi- 

 tudinal stripes in the long posterior scapulars, patch on each 

 side of the rump, and band towards the tail, white ; stripe 

 down the back of the neck, and the back, gray-brown, the 

 feathers edged with lighter; rump and upper tail coverts, 

 greenish-black ; outer edge of the long tertials, and the 

 smaller wing-coverts, ultra-marine-blue; speculum, violet- 

 green; the rest of the wings, dusky; tail feathers, white, 

 with brown line along the shaft; under parts, dark chestnut, 

 lighter and somewhat spotted and barred on the sides; iris, 

 yellow; feet, orange ; — the mature male, thus described, is a 

 conspicuous and pleasing object on the water. Fe77iale, 

 brown above, each feather edged with lighter; the throat, 

 sides of the head, and under parts generally, light-brown. 



The nest of this species is on the ground near the water, 

 and is built of the coarse materials commonly used by 

 Ducks. The eggs, some 8 or 10 in number, and about 2.07 

 X1.47, are a dark-cream or light-brown, not infrequently 

 tinged with ashy-gray. 



