THE SHOVELLER. 475 



longer than that of the Mallard or the Eider, and nearly twice 

 as broad at the tip as it is at the base, thus giving the spe- 

 cies a very peculiar and almost awkward appearance. The 

 tongue, and a prominent ridge along the deeply concave roof 

 of the mouth, are well provided with large and rather pecul- 

 iarly formed papillae, in order to augment the sensitiveness 

 of touch and taste. The large lamellae along the edges 

 of the immense bill give the bird a peculiar grinning 

 aspect. 



The comparatively long measurement for the weight, 

 nearly or quite 20 inches, is due partly to the slender body, 

 but more especially to the long bill and tail. The bill is dark ; 

 the head and upper part of the neck, blackish, with green 

 and purplish reflections; the color by no means pure, how- 

 ever; the lower neck, upper breast, anterior scapulars, longi- 

 tudinal stripes in the long posterior scapulars, patch on each 

 side of the rump, and band towards the tail, white ; stripe 

 down the back of the neck, and the back, gray-brown, the 

 feathers edged with lighter; rump and upper tail coverts, 

 greenish-black ; outer edge of the long tertials, and the 

 smaller wing-coverts, ultra-marine-blue; speculum, violet- 

 green; the rest of the wings, dusky; tail feathers, white, 

 with brown line along the shaft; under parts, dark chestnut, 

 lighter and somewhat spotted and barred on the sides; iris, 

 yellow; feet, orange ; the mature male, thus described, is a 

 conspicuous and pleasing object on the water. Female, 

 brown above, each feather edged with lighter; the throat, 

 sides of the head, and under parts generally, light-brown. 



The nest of this species is on the ground near the water, 

 and is built of the coarse materials commonly used by 

 Ducks. The eggs, some 8 or 10 in number, and about 2.07 

 X 1.47, are a dark-cream or light-brown, not infrequently 

 tinged with ashy-gray. 



