SHOVELER. 249 



of new feathers, and a change of colour in others, is very 

 remarkable in the Pintail ; and Colonel Montagu was tJie 

 first, I believe, to record in print the annual change which 

 takes place in that species. The change which the Mallard 

 undergoes has since been observed and described by Mr. 

 Waterton. The Shoveler and others also suffer a partial 

 change of this sort, to be hereafter noticed. Mr. Gould 

 says, "As we have observed that this change is common to 

 the males of those species that more especially breed in 

 marshes, among reeds, &c., and as it generally takes place 

 at the period of incubation, may it not serve as a protection 

 to the species by rendering the fostering parent less con- 

 spicuous at this critical period, than he would be were he 

 to retain the gay nuptial dress, which would present so 

 strong a contrast to the sombre-tinted vegetation among 

 which it is necessary for him to remain, until the young 

 are able to provide for themselves ? " But to this view of 

 the subject it may be mentioned, that as soon as the fe- 

 males begin to sit, the males desert them, and the whole 

 charge of each young brood devolves upon the female, 

 the males going together in small flocks, intent fcnly on 

 providing for and taking care of themselves. 



The Shoveler is to be considered generally as a winter 

 visitor to this country, but some remain every year to 

 breed. They inhabit marshes, lakes, rivers, and muddy 

 shores, selecting their food in shallow water, by the instru- 

 mentality of their sensible beak, the laminated sides of 

 which being abundantly supplied with nerves, enable them 

 to retain the nutritious and reject the useless. They feed 

 on some grasses and other vegetables, with worms, aquatic 

 and other insects, even some insects that are winged ; 

 Gesner, on that account, called this species Anas muscaria, 

 and Vieillot says, that at the present time one of its com- 

 mon names in France is Canard gobe-mouche. Shrimps 



