BIEDS OF KANSAS. 67 



3d, 1885, I shot a female at a grassy pond, in Meade county, 

 with well-developed eggs in the ovary. I have since noticed 

 the birds in western Kansas, during the summer months. On 

 the first of June, 1877, I found the birds quite common at 

 Como Lake, Wyoming Territory; they were breeding in the 

 large, boggy marsh adjoining. 



Their nests are made of grasses and lined with feathers and 

 down. Eggs eight to twelve, 1.87x1.38; creamy white or 

 pale buff; in form, oval. 



A set of ^en eggs, taken in Kevada, June 1st, 1887, measure: 

 1,87x1.39, 1.90x1.36, 1.88x1.40, 1.88x1.41, 1.83x1.40, 1.80 

 xl.39, 1.92x1.40, 1.81x1.39, 1.92x1.32, 1.88x1.35. 



Gexus spatula Boie. 



"Bill longer than the head, much expanded, or almost spatulate, terminally, 

 where about twice as wide as the compressed base; maxillary lamellae very thin, 

 lengthened, almost completely exposed posteriorly, where resemble the teeth of 

 a fine comb. Tail short, the feathers acute. 



"Of this very curious and well-marked genus, in which, however, there is 

 little that is peculiar except in the form of the bill, about five species are 

 known, one occurring throughout the northern hemisphere, the others peculiar 

 to South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand." 



Spatula clypeata (Lixx.). 



SHOVELLER. 

 PLATE V. 



Summer resident, rare; in migration, common. Arrive the 

 middle of March to first of April; begin laying the last of May; 

 leave late in the fall. 



B. 583. R. 608. C. 718. G. 287, 31. U. 142. 



Habitat. Northern hemisphere in geiieral. In North Amer- 

 ica, breeding from Texas to Alaska. 



Sp. Ghak. '■'Adult male, in winter: Head and neck dark metallic bluish 

 green, much duller than in Anas boschas; breast and outer scapulars white, the 

 former sometimes spotted with dusky; entire abdomen and sides uniform chest- 

 nut; crissum dark metallic bluish green, bounded anteriorly by a band of finely 

 undulated grayish white. Back aud inner scapulars dusky, the feathers some- 

 times bordered with white; longer lauceolate scapulars marked with a mesial 

 lanceolate stripe of white; wing coverts light grayish blue, the last row tipped 

 with white, forming a narrow band across the wing; speculum bright metallic 

 green, very narrowly tipped with white; tertials dusky black, with faint green 



