95 



margined at the base with greenish-blue ; tail duU green ; inner 

 webs of the lateral feathers brown toothed on their basai two-thirds 

 with orange-yellow ; all the tail-feathers crossed near the extremity 

 with an mdistinct band of brown, and tipped with oUve-brown ; 

 feathers of the asillee fine scarlet ; under wing-coverts scarlet tipped 

 with brown, the greater ones banded with brown and with yellow 

 stained with scarlet ; basai portion of the primaries and secondaries 

 largely toothed with fine yellow, which is uot perceptible on the 

 upper surface unless the wing8 are very widely spread ; upper man- 

 dible dark horn colour ; under mandible yellow, becoming richer 

 towards the point ; feet nearly yellowisholive. 



Totai length, 18 inches ; bill, 2^ ; wmg, 12į; tail, 7i; tarsi, 1|. 



Hab. The Middle Island, New Zealand. 



The Shoveller forms the fifth species known of the genus Spatula, 

 and is distinguished from the other members by the dark crescentic 

 markings which decorate the feathers of the breast, sides of the neck 

 and scapularies. The species of this well-defined form previously 

 described are Spatula clypeata, -TOhich inhabits Europe, North 

 America, India and China ; S. rhynchotis, which is found through- 

 out AustraUa ; S. maculatus, the habitat of which is Chili, and pro- 

 bably the ueighbouring countries of Peru and Bolivia ; and iS. ca- 

 pensis of South Africa. For the fifth, or New Zealand species, Mr, 

 Gould proposes the name of 



Spatula variegata. 



Crown of the head and space surrounding the base of the bill 

 brownish-black ; on either side of the face between the bill and the 

 eye a lunar-shaped streak of white, bounded posteriorly with speckles 

 of black ; cheeks, sides and back of the neck dark grey witli greenish 

 reflexions ; front of the neck dark brown, each feather narrowly 

 fringed with white ; back brownish-black, the feathers of the upper 

 part margined with greyish-brown ; feathers of the breast, sides of 

 lower part of the neck, the mantle and scapularies white, with a 

 crescent of blackish-brovm near the tip ; under surface dark chestnut 

 blotched with black ; flanks lighter chestnut barred with black ; 

 lesser wing-coverts dull greenish-blue; greater wing-coverts dark 

 brown, fringed at the tip with white ; first elongated scapularies blue- 

 grey, with a conspicuous line of white on the outer web next the 

 shaft, bounded posteriorly with black ; the next blue-grey, margined 

 on the inner web with white ; the remainder greenish-black, with a 

 lengthened lanceolate mark of dull or brownish-white down the centre 

 of the apical half ; speculum deep green ; primaries dark brown with 

 lighter shafts ; under surface of the shoulder white ; on each side of 

 the vent a patch of white freckled with black ; under tail-coverts 

 black, tinged with shining green; tail dark brown ; irides bright 

 yellow ; bill dark purplish-black, the tmder mandible clouded with 

 yellow ; legs and feet yellow. 



Totai length, 16^ inches ; bill, 3; wing, 9t; tail, 4|; tarsi, 1|. 



Hab. New Zealand. 



Eemark. — This is by far the handsomest species of the genus. 



