204 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



and tender shoots of water-plants, grain, small shell-fish and insects. 

 Its note when resting on the water is a low quack, but when on the 

 wing it is said to utter a shriller cry. 



SPATULA CLYPEATA (Linneeus). 



SHOVELER. 



Anas clypeata, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 200 (1766) ; Malherbc, Faunc Orn. 

 de I'Alg. p. 37 (1855). 



Spatula clypeata, Boic, his, 1822, p. 564 ; Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. 

 il/us. xxvii, p. 306 ; Eoenig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 296 ; id. J. f. 0. 1893, 

 p. 101 ; Whitaker, Ibis, 1895, p. 104; ErUmjcr, J.f. 0. 1900, p. 71. 



Rhynchaspis clypeata, Locke, Expl. Sci. Ahj. ii, p. 37i (1867). 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from North Tunisia. 



Head and upper neck glossy blackish-green, duller on the forehead, 

 crown and chin, and brighter on the neck ; lower neck, sides of the mantle, 

 and scapulars white ; rest of upper plumage mostly dark brown, with 

 a glossy greenish tinge ; primaries brown ; outer secondaries brown on their 

 inner webs, and metallic-green on their outer webs, presenting a distinct 

 alar speculum ; the innermost secondaries, which are much elongated, blue 

 on their outer, and white on their inner webs ; the entire shoulder grey-blue, 

 a narrow white bar intervening between this and the green speculum ; 

 upper breast white ; lower breast and underparts generally chestnut-brown ; 

 crissum whitish-grey ; under tail-coverts blackish-green. 



Iris bright yellow ; bill, which is very broad at the tip, blackish ; feet 

 orange colour. 



Total length 20-50 inches, wing 9-50, culmen 2'70, tarsus l-IO. 



Adult female, general colour above dull brown with a rufous tinge, 

 most of the feathers of the back with rufous margins, and crescent -shaped 

 bands ; underparts lighter, but with the same markings. Soft parts as in 

 male, measurements rather less. 



The summer dress of the adult male somewhat resembles that of the 

 adult female, but is darker, while the green speculum and the blue on the 

 wings are always retained. 



The Shovcler is common in Tunisia as a winter migrant, arriving 

 in October and November and leaving again in February and March. 

 According to Dr. Koenig (J. f. 0., 1893, p. 104) the species has been 

 found breeding in the month of May by Hcrr Paul Spatz on the small 



