BIRDS OP EGYPT. 285 



dusky and white, and the flanks coloured in the same manner ; 

 the larger scapulars are black, elongated, and broadly edged 

 with grey and buff ; primaries brown ; secondaries tipped 

 with white, and with their outer webs brilliant metallic 

 green ; wing-coverts grey, the larger ones tipped with rufous, 

 forming a band on the wing ; legs black ; beak slate-colour, 

 with the tip and a broad band down the culmeu black ; irides 

 brown. 



Entire length 23 inches ; culmen 2 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 10'5 ; tarsus 1'5. 



The female is a pale mottled brown bird, having the tail 

 pointed, but not so much elongated as in the male. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 365. 



305. Rhynchaspis clypeata (Linn.). SZ/ovel/er. 



The Shoveller is a resident in Egypt and Nubia, and is 

 one of the most abundant species of Duck in the country. 

 They prefer the smaller pools and the banks of the lakes and 

 river, are less shy than the other species of water-fowl, and 

 are therefore most frequently shot, though they are very 

 inferior eating. They are very late in assuming their breed- 

 ing plumage ; for I have frequently shot them in April still in 

 moult. 



jBea/i~ long and widening out towards the end; head and 

 neck dark metallic green ; front part of the chest and greater 

 part of the scapulars white ; centre of the back brown, with 

 paler edgings to the feathers ; lower part of the back, tail- 

 coverts, and tail black, with green and purple reflections ; 

 outer feathers of the tail edged with white ; remainder of 



