236 INDIAN DUCKS 



Colours of soft parts. — Irides In-own or orange-brown ; legs like those 

 of the male, but duller at all seasons ; bill dull-brown, the lower mandible 

 dull orange or orange-brown. 



" In the female, the upper niandii)le is dark brown, tinged reddish along 

 the commissure and on the nail, while the lower mandible is dull orange, 

 brownish towards the tip. 



" The irides vary ... in the female from brown to reddish brown, 

 but I have recorded them ... as light yellow in one female, so that 

 there is only a general, and not a constant sexual difference in the colour." 

 Ulume:) 



Measurements. — Length about 18'5 inches, wing 81 to 'J'2, tail about 3'u, 

 or less, tarsus 1'2 to 1'4, bill from gape 2'8. 



" Length 18'0 to 19'0 inches, expanse 27'0 to 29'5, wing 8'0 to 8'9, tail 

 from vent 3'5 to 3'85, tarsus 1'2 to 1'4, bill from gape 2'65 to 2'87. 

 Weight 1 lb. to 1 lb. 7 ozs." {Hiiiue.) 



Male in the first plumage rcsemliles the female, but the wings are 

 brighter-coloured ; l)ill pale reddish brown ; legs and feet flesh-coloured. 



Males in their post-nuptial plumage have the white of the breast with 

 a few dark crescentic bands, the lower belly with dark l)ars, and the rich 

 black of the under tail-coverts mottled with chestnut and white. 



" Young in Down resemlile those of the Wigeon in having the upper 

 parts almost uniform, with indistinct pale spots, but they possess the dark 

 brown stripes through the eye as in the young Mallard. The bill is not 

 widened at the tip, but it grows very rapidly.'' {SalcacJori.) 



Distribution. — The Shoveller is to be met with at differeut times 

 throughout the Northern hemisphere in all four continents. Found 

 over practically the whole of hku'ope and Asia at various seasons, 

 it extends in winter as far south as Somaliland in Africa, and in 

 America to the 18th degree latitude north in the West Indies, 

 and even further south in Guatemala. 



The references made to its occurrence in Australia and South 

 America apply to allied species and not to the Common Shoveller. 



In India proper the Shoveller is a winter visitant to all parts, 

 from the extreme north to the extreme south ; but, though it surely 

 must occur there at times, it has not yet been recorded from Pegu 

 and Tenasserim. 



In Ceylon it is also fairly common. Legge writes : — 



" This remarkable and almost cosmopolitan Duck is a not 

 unfrequent winter visitor to Ceylon. I have not met with it myself, 

 but Mr. G. Simpson informs nic tliat it comes in large numbers to 

 Delft and the Palverainkadoo and MuUaittivu lagoons, remaining 

 during the same period as the Teal and Pin-Tail." 



