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496 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 
found it with young at Milltown, Me.; and Giraud, in his 
‘“‘ Birds of Long Island,” says that it breeds in that locality. 
The greater number, however, pass to the more northern 
countries, where they begin to lay early in June. The 
nests are similar to those of the Green-winged Teal, and 
are placed in similar localities. The eggs are from six to 
ten in number. They vary in form from ovate to ovoidal, 
and are sometimes nearly oval in shape: they are of a dirty 
yellowish-white color, paler than that of the eggs of the 
Green-winged Teal. They vary in dimensions from 1.95 
by 1.35 inch (Wisconsin) to 1.74 by 1.80 inch (Labrador). 
The surface of both these eggs, and those of the preceding 
species, is covered with stains of a darker tint than the’ 
primary color; probably caused by the feet of the bird, or 
by the decaying vegetation which forms the nests of both 
species. 
SPATULA, Bortz. 
Spatula, Born, Isis (1822), 564. (Type Anas clypeata, L.) 
Bill much longer than the head and spatulate, widening to the end, where it is 
twice as broad as at the base; nail long and narrow; lamelle of the upper mandible 
very close, delicate, and lengthened, projecting far below the lower edge; tail acute, 
less than half the wing. 
SPATULA CLYPEATA.— Bote. 
The Shoveller; Spoonbill. 
Anas clypeata, Linneus. Syst. Nat.,I. (1766) 200. Wils. Am. Orn., VIII. (1814). 
Aud. Orn. Biog., IV. (1888) 241.. Jb., Birds Am., VI. (1843) 293. 
Spatula clypeata, Boie. Isis (1822), 564. 
Anas (Spathulea) clypeata, Nuttall. Man., II. (1834) 375. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Head and neck green; forepart and sides of the breast, with greater portion of 
scapulars, and the sides of the base of the tail, white; rest of under parts dull pur- 
plish-chestnut; crissum, rump, and upper tail coverts black, the latter glossed with 
green; wing coverts blue, the posterior row brown in the concealed portion, and 
tipped with white; longest tertials blue, streaked internally with white; others vel- 
vet-green, streaked centrally with white; speculum grass-green, edged very nar- 
rowly behind with black, and then with white. 
Female with the wing similar, but with the blue of coverts and scapulars less 
