4l6 SHOVEI.ER. 



circle, but from Denmark, the Baltic, and even Archangel southward, 

 it nests down to the African side of the Mediterranean, where 

 numbers of migrants appear in winter. At that season it is abun- 

 dant in Egypt and Nubia ; and in the elevated regions of Abyssinia 

 it is said to be resident. Across temperate Asia it is found in 

 suitable localities, visiting South China and India during cold 

 weather ; Gould states that he examined a single example obtained 

 in Australia : and in America this widely-distributed species breeds 

 from Alaska to Texas, wintering as far south as Panama. 



The nest is usually on dry ground in rank vegetation, or tufts of 

 rushes, and is made of fine grass, with a lining of down plucked by 

 the female from her body after she begins to sit. The eggs, 8-14 

 in number, are of a pale greenish-buff colour : average measure- 

 ments 2 by I "4 in. Mr. J. Whitaker states that on June 22nd 1886 

 he found the male sitting upon three eggs, though as a rule incuba- 

 tion devolves upon his mate. The note in pairing-time may be 

 syllabled as took, took ; otherwise the bird is comparatively silent. 

 It feeds on grasses, worms, slugs, snails, aquatic or even winged 

 insects, and small crustaceans ; its flesh is well-flavoured, rivalling 

 that of the Gadwall or the American Canvas-back. Diet, however, 

 is an important factor in this matter, as regards all Ducks ; and even 

 a Canvas-back, when it has not been feeding on the succulent 

 Vallisneria so abundant in the Chesapeake river, is a very ordinary 

 bird for tlie table. In confinement the Shoveler has bred with the 

 Garganey Teal. 



The adult male has the bill lead-colour, dilated towards the tip ; 

 irides yellow : head and upper neck green ; lower neck and scapu- 

 lars white ; feathers of the middle-back dark brown with paler 

 margins ; shoulders pale blue ; greater wing-coverts white ; second- 

 aries dark brown with a green speailnm ; primaries, rump, upjier 

 tail-coverts and tail-feathers almost black ; breast and belly rich 

 chestnut ; flanks freckled with dark brown on a paler ground ; vent 

 white ; under tail-coverts black ; legs, toes and webs reddish-orange. 

 Length 20 in. ; wing 10 in. In summer the male moults into the 

 plumage of the female. The latter has the head and neck mottled 

 with two shades of brown ; the feathers of the upper parts dark 

 brown in the centre, with lighter edges ; under parts pale brown. 

 The young male at first resembles the female. The nestling has a 

 proportionately longer, narrower, and more slender bill than the 

 young Mallard or Gadwall, but at the age of three weeks there is 

 an obvious increase in length and breadth, especially in drakes. 



