on in May even later in some localities. The nest is generally in the open, 

 well hidden among the long grass or heather, or often in the centre of a rush- 

 tuft, where the bird tears out the centre of the plant and forms a deepish 

 hollow, adding a few bits of dry grass or moss, and lining it plentifully with 

 down, with which she carefully covers the eggs when she leaves the nest to 

 feed. At first the nest is only slightly lined with dry grass, but as the full 

 complement of eggs is laid, the down is added and soon forms a beautifully 

 soft cup. The Shoveler sits very closely incubation lasting from twenty- 

 two to twenty-four days and will only leave her eggs when almost trodden 

 on. When flushed she flies low and heavily, and plumps down in the water 

 not far off, restlessly swimming back and forward and turning round and 

 round, anxiously watching the fate of her nest, and uttering a low ' quaack ' 

 from time to time. 



The eggs vary in number from seven to twelve, though nine is perhaps 

 the most usual number. Only one brood is reared in the year; when the 

 first nest is destroyed a second is made, but these second nests rarely contain 

 more than five or six eggs. The eggs are very pale buff, with a slight tinge 

 of olive-green, and vary in length from 2'2 to i"j inches, and in breadth from 

 i '5 to 1*4 inches. The flakes of down are not quite so large as those of the 

 Mallard, and are dark grey in colour with paler centres and very conspicuous 

 white tips. 



Young in down are almost uniform brown on the upper parts, with in- 

 distinct pale spots ; the under parts are buff colour, darker on the throat, and 

 they have the dark brown stripe through the eye. When the young are 

 hatched the female is very attentive to them, and will defend them vigorously. 



