228 WILD-FOWL AND SEA FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



brown below ; head and neck light red brown, with 

 dusky streaks. Upper parts are very dark brown, the 

 feathers being edged and barred with reddish-white ; 

 the lower parts reddish-white, with dusky spots, 



THE SHOVELLER. 



{Spatula clyfeata.) 



Male, — Bill black, with a tinge of grey ; iris 

 orange. Head and upper half of neck glossy 

 green, the top of the head being purple. Fore-part 

 of cheeks and throat black, slightly glossed with 

 green ; the rest of the neck and small part of the 

 breast white. Back greenish-black, the feathers on 

 front part margined with white, while behind they 

 are darker and more glossed with green. The tail 

 coverts very bright ; tail feathers brownish-grey, 

 margined with white ; the scapulars white, green- 

 ish-black, and pale blue ; the speculum bright green, 

 margined in front with white. Small wing coverts 

 light blue ; the primary coverts and quills brownish- 

 black, shaded with grey, the shafts being white. 

 The breast, sides, and part of the belly are deep 

 chestnut, with a purple tinge ; legs and feet orange. 

 The length, from bill to tail, is twenty inches. 



Female, — The bill is dusky above, reddish-brown 

 beneath. Head and upper neck pale reddish, with 

 dusky streaks ; lower neck and breast similar, with 

 dusky spots. Upper parts blackish-brown, the 

 feathers edged with reddish-white ; the smaller 

 wing coverts tinged with light blue ; the speculum 

 smaller and duller in tint than that of the male. 



