146 ANSERES NYROCA 



The female resembles that of S. clypeata but has the tail very 

 dark brown with irregular rufescent bars. 



Distribution. The Cape Shoveller is apparently coDfined to 

 South Africa, extending to Angola in the west. Lefebre stated that 

 he met with this species many years ago in Abyssinia, but it has 

 not been since procured there nor has it been observed in the 

 intervening countries. 



FIG. 42. Head of Spatula catena is. x % 



In South Africa this Duck is by no means common. It has not 

 been found in Rhodesia or on the Zambesi, and it is rare in the 

 Transvaal and in German Territory. The following are recorded 

 localities: Cape Colony Cape division, July (S. A. Mus.), 

 November (Layard), Verloren vlei in Piquetberg, Berg River, Vogel 

 vlei in Paarl, Knysna (Layard), Port Elizabeth (Rickard), Queens- 

 town (Griffith apud Layard) ; Natal Durban (Ayres in Bt. 

 Mus.), Newcastle, September (Butler) ; near Mafeteng in Basuto- 

 land (Murray) ; Transvaal (Ayres) ; Bechuanaland Botletli River 

 (Bryden) ; German South-west Africa rare, but extending north 

 to Okavango (Andersson). 



Habits. No one has made any observations worth recording on 

 the habits of this bird. Layard received eggs taken by Mr. Kotze 

 on the Berg River, which he described as a delicate cream colour 

 tinged with green and measuring 2-16 x 1-5. These are probably 

 the same as those described in the British Museum Catalogue. 



Genus XL NYROCA. 



Type. 

 Nyroca, Flem. Phil. Zool. ii, p. 260 (1822) N.africana. 



Bill about as long as the head, rather broad but the same width 

 throughout its length, culmen slightly concave ; lamellae along the 

 margin of the mandibles not projecting or conspicuous ; nail broad 



