402 ANATINJE. 



Stray Feathers, Vol. IV, p. 27 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol- 

 IX, p. 437 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 290 ; 

 Game Birds of India, Vol. Ill, p. 141 ; Swinhoe and Barnes, 

 Central India ; Ibis, 1885, p. 137. 



THE SHOVELLER. 



<y. Length, 197 to 2175 ; expanse, 2975 to 32'5 ; wing, 9 to 

 9-8; tail, 3'6 to 4; tarsus, T2 to T5 ; bill from gape, 2 -9 5 to 

 3*05 ; weight, l t \ to l-f| Ibs. 



?. Length, 18 to 19 ; expanse, 27 to 29'5 ; wing, 8 to 8'9 ; tail, 

 3'5 to 3-85; tarsus, T2 to 1'4 ; bill from gape, 2'65 to 2'87 ; 

 weight, 1 to 1 / Ibs. 



Bill black, or leaden-dusky ; in the female dark brown ; irides 

 vary from yellow to brown and reddish-orange ; legs and feet_ vary 

 from orange to Indian-red. 



~ Hale, head and upper part of the neck deep brown, with 

 glossy green reflections ; back dark umber-brown ; scapulars 

 white ; rump and upper tail-coverts brown, glossed with blackish- 

 green ; the sides of the rump white ; tail brown, the feathers edged 

 with white, and the outer one wholly white ; tes^ejcjyYing-CQ verts 

 ^ale greyish-blue ; median, tipped with white ; greater-coverts, 

 forming the speculum, brilliant green ; primaries umber-brown ; 

 tertials rich purplish-black ; lower neck and breast white ; abdomen 

 brownish-red ; lower tail-coverts brown, glossed with blackish-green. 



The female has the head pale reddish-brown with fine dusky 

 streaks ; the rest of the upper parts dark brown, the feathers 

 edged with reddish-white ; lesser wing-coverts slightly tinged 

 with pale blue ; speculum not so bright as in the male ; under 

 parts reddish, with large round spots. 



Towards the end of summer the male puts on a peculiar 

 livery, something like that of the female, but with the head black. 



The Shoveller is very common throughout the district, but it 

 does not appear in such immense flocks as so many of the other 

 ducks do, preferring to form small parties ; it affects the edges of 

 tanks in preference to open water. It is not a nice eating duck, 

 and is not much sought after by sportsmen. 



GENUS, Anas, Lin. 



Bill of moderate length, depressed throughout, not so deep at 

 the base as wide, nearly of uniform width ; the lamellae short, 

 projecting very slightly ; the tip rounded ; nostrils near the base ; 

 tail short, of 16 feathers, the middle tail feathers of some more 

 or less curled upwards. 



Anas boschas, Lin. 



958. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 798 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. IV, p. 27 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, VoL 

 IX, p. 437 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 292 ; 

 Game Birds of India, Vol. Ill, p. 151 ; Swinhoe and Barnes, 

 Central India; Ibis, 1885, p. 137. 



