SHOVELER. 141 



creeks, apparently investigating every spot, as if search- 

 ing for some specially suitable place to alight. It is 

 not particularly timid, and will often come boldly up to 

 decoys, looking really quite like one of the " big " Ducks 

 as it sets its wings and sails up to the wooden counter- 

 feits. But in reality the body of the Shoveler is not 

 large, and its apparent size, in the air, is mainly made up 

 of wings and head, of which the huge spoon-shaped bill 

 is not the least portion. It breeds early in the year, the 

 month largely dependent upon the latitude in which the 

 bird happens to be, as there is great diversity of climate 

 between the limit of its northern and southern disper- 

 sion, and it is apparently a species that breeds wherever 

 the proper season of the year for that duty happens to 

 find it. 



The nest, composed of grass or rushes laid upon a 

 dry spot on some low land near water, is lined with 

 feathers from the parent's breast, and from eight to a 

 dozen greenish white eggs are laid. The young have 

 a bill shaped like that of any other Duck, the broad 

 overlapping maxilla not being developed until the bird 

 is well grown. The male Shoveler in full summer dress 

 is a very handsome Duck, indeed, of particularly strik- 

 ing appearance; its dark green head and neck, some- 

 what like the Mallard's, showing with much efifect above 

 the white breast, and both finely contrasted with the 

 deep chestnut of the under parts. It is not a graceful 

 bird, its huge bill giving it a topheavy look, but it walks 

 well on land, and can run with some speed. I have 

 seldom heard the Spoonbill utter any sound, though 

 occasionally it gives forth a few feeble quacks, but it is 

 usually very silent. As a bird for the table I have held 

 it in very high esteem, its flavor depending greatly, of 

 course, on the quality of food it obtains. This species 



