THE SSOVELinit. Si 



but its powers of flight are considerable, its progression 

 being strong and rapid. 



The nest is made of fine grasses, and is usually placed 

 in a tuft of grass or rushes, and beyond the reach of 

 the water. Eigh^ or nine eggs are laid ; they are of a 

 buffy^white colour, tinged with green, a little nlore than 

 two inches in length, and about one inch and a half 

 in breadth. During the time of hatching the female 

 Shoveller co^vers the eggs over with down, pluc ked f rom 

 her breast. 



As_ an article of fpod, the Shoveller is said to be 

 excellent, one authority describing it as, ^^ tender, juicy, 

 and of good flavour.^' 



The plumage is handsome, and the markings well de- 

 fined. The length of the male is about twenty inches ; the 

 beak is lead colour ; the irides yellow ; the whole of the 

 head and upper part of the neck green ; lower part of the 

 neck, scapulars, and some of the tertials white ; middle of 

 the back brown, the feathers having lighter coloured mar- 

 gins ; point of the wing, lesser wing-coverts, and outer web 

 of some of the tertials pale blue ; greater wing-coverts 

 white ; primaries and secondaries dark brown, almost black, 

 but the speculum is green; rump, upper tail-coverts, and 

 tail feathers almost black ; the breast and the whole of the 

 belly a rich chestnut brown ; thighs freckled with dark 

 brown, on a grounding of lighter pale brown; vent white; 

 under tail-coverts black; legs, toes, and membranes a 

 reddish-orange; nails black. 



In summer the male changes the green colour of the 

 head and neck to brown, spotted with very dark brown ; 

 the breast and belly are ferruginous, spotted with black; 

 the legs are orange. 



