HABITS OF SHOVELLER. 53 



common to all parts of Ireland, particularly the 

 south. They swim in close bunches of from seven 

 or eight to fifteen that being the number I have 

 usually seen together, seldom more and are very 

 easy to approach. In calm water they may be 

 noticed paddling lazily forward as though asleep, 

 their heavy-looking bills rippling along the surface 

 as if in the act of drinking. Perhaps when at rest 

 the head is overbalanced by the unusual weight 

 attached, and it may be an exertion for the bird to 

 keep its bill in a constantly horizontal position. 

 They fly well ; not so boldly, perhaps, as other 

 ducks, but not so low as the divers. I have more 

 than once seen these birds suck up the falling 

 rain with their spoon-shaped bills as it for the 

 moment lay on their somewhat cup-shaped backs. 

 I never remarked this habit in other species of 

 duck. Shovellers are poor divers when wounded. 

 The feet are peculiarly small, and give but weak 

 propelling power to the body. The foot of a 

 Shoveller is smaller in proportion to its body than 

 that of any of the true ducks. The larger the foot 

 in the duck tribe the better they can dive. This is 

 most noticeable in the divers ; they may be said to 

 have a regular scale of diving capability. None 

 equal the Great Northern, Red-throated and Black- 

 throated species, together with the Grebes, in this 

 respect, and they have the largest feet of all in 

 proportion to the body. 



The plumage of an adult male Shoveller is very 

 beautiful, but the ungainly bill spoils the general 

 contour. When put up they fly irregularly, as if 

 they had not all decided on the same direction, but 



