THE SHOVELLER. 



595 



sum black, separated from belly anteriorly by white, finely undulated with dusky ; 

 white flank-patches; inner scapulars white, and inner tertiaries white-striped; 

 wing-coverts and outer we'bs of outer tertiaries light grayish blue; the posterior 

 row of coverts greenish dusky at base, broadly white-tipped; speculum glossy 

 green bounded on either side by dusky ; primaries dusky ; axillars and lining of 

 wing white; bill spatulate, the upper mandible much broader at tip than lower 

 and enclosing it; lamellae prominent, deep black; feet orange-red; iris brown. 

 Adult female: Wings much as in male, but duller; scapulars like back and ter- 

 tiaries not striped ; upper parts, except head and neck, plain fuscous glossed pos- 

 teriorly with greenish ; remaining plumage buffy or buffy white, spotted with 

 brownish fuscous ; head and neck narrowly streaked with dusky ; lower breast 

 tinged with brownish ; bill brown above, orange below. Young male : Like 

 adult female but colors heavier, and belly tinged with chestnut. Young female : 

 Similar to adult but wing-coverts dull slaty gray, only faintly tinged with bluish 

 or greenish; speculum not so extensively glossy green. Length 17.00-21.00 

 (431.8-533.4); wing 9.00-10.00 (228.6-254.); tail 3.00-3.50 (76.2-88.9); oilmen 

 2.50-2.90 (63.5-73.7) ; breadth of bill near tip 1.20 (30.5) ; tarsus 1.50 (38.1). 



Recognition Marks. — Smaller than Mallard; bill broadened at tip distinc- 

 tive; male with white breast and rich chestnut belly. 



Nest, on the ground in or near swamp, lined with weed-stalks and grasses, 

 or reeds. Eggs, 6-10, pale bluish or greenish gray. Av. size, 2.12 x 1.48 (53.9 x 

 37-6). 



General Range. — Northern Hemisphere. In North America breeding from 

 Alaska to Texas; not abundant on the Atlantic Coast north of the Carolinas. 



Range in Ohio. — Not common spring and fall migrant. Formerly bred 

 sparingly and locally. 



FORTUNATELY the Spoonbill Duck bears about with it a ready mark 

 of identification, so that the diminishing numbers which appear in March or 

 early April do not escape the notice of the ornithologist. The broad flat- 

 tened bill indicates that its possessor is a gourmet of discriminating taste and 

 unique opportunity. Most of the river ducks are obliged to depend more 

 or less upon the senses of touch and taste rather than sight as they encounter 

 food below the surface of the water, but in the case of the Shoveller these 

 senses are developed to an extraordinary degree. The bird evidently feeds 

 somewhat after the manner of the Right Whale, by filling its mouth at ran- 

 dom and then ejecting the water through the mouth-parts, to retain in the 

 lamellae whatever is of value. The tongue of the duck is also modified, being 

 provided with specialized taste papilla; to enable it to discriminate meat from 

 poison ; while as for plain dirt, the bird is probably willing to take its tra- 

 ditional peck any given day. Insects and vegetable matter, as well as minute 

 forms of life of all kinds make up this lowly epicure's fare, and its flesh is 

 evervwhere held in high esteem. 



