THE SHOVELLER. 595 
sum black, separated from belly anteriorly by white, finely undulated with dusky ; 
white flank-patches; inner scapulars white, and inner tertiaries white-striped ; 
wing-coverts and outer webs of outer tertiaries light grayish blue; the posterior 
row of coverts greenish dusky at base, broadly white-tipped; speculum glossy 
green bounded on either side by dusky; primaries dusky; axillars and lining of 
wing white; bill spatulate, the upper mandible much broader at tip than lower 
and enclosing it; lamellae prominent, deep black; feet orange-red; iris brown. 
Adult female: Wings much as in male, but duller; scapulars like back and ter- 
tiaries not striped; upper parts, except head and neck, plain fuscous glossed pos- 
teriorly with greenish; remaining plumage buffy or buffy white, spotted with 
brownish fuscous; head and neck narrowly streaked with dusky; lower breast 
tinged with brownish; bill brown above, orange below. Young male: Like 
adult female but colors heavier, and belly tinged with chestnut. Young female: 
Similar to adult but wing-coverts dull slaty gray, only faintly tinged with bluish 
or greenish; speculum not so extensively glossy green. Length 17.00-21.00 
(431.8-533.4) ; wing 9.00-10.00 (228.6-254.) ; tail 3.00-3.50 (76.2-88.9) ; culmen 
2.50-2.90 (63.5-73.7) ; breadth of bill near tip 1.20 (30.5); tarsus 1.50 (38.1). 
Recognition Marks.—Smaller than Mallard; bill broadened at tip distinc- 
tive; male with white breast and rich chestnut belly. 
Nest, on the ground in or near swamp, lined with weed-stalks and grasses, 
or reeds. Eggs, 6-10, pale bluish or greenish gray. Av. size, 2.12 x 1.48 (53.9 x 
37.6). 
General Range.—Northern Hemisphere. In North America breeding from 
Alaska to Texas; not abundant on the Atlantic Coast north of the Carolinas. 
Range in Ohio.—Not common spring and fall migrant. Formerly bred 
sparingly and locally. 
FORTUNATELY the Spoonbill Duck bears about with it a ready mark 
of identification, so that the diminishing numbers which appear in March or 
early April do not escape the notice of the ornithologist. The broad flat- 
tened bill indicates that its possessor is a gourmet of discriminating taste and 
unique opportunity. Most of the river ducks are obliged to depend more 
or less upon the senses of touch and taste rather than sight as they encounter 
food below the surface of the water, but in the case of the Shoveller these 
senses are developed to an extraordinary degree. The bird evidently feeds 
somewhat after the manner of the Right Whale, by filling its mouth at ran- 
dom and then ejecting the water through the mouth-parts, to retain in the 
lamella whatever is of value. The tongue of the duck is also modified, being 
provided with specialized taste papillae to enable it to discriminate meat from 
poison; while as for plain dirt, the bird is probably willing to take its tra- 
ditional peck any given day. Insects and vegetable matter, as well as minute 
forms of life of all kinds make up this lowly epicure’s fare, and its flesh is 
everywhere held in high esteem. 
