BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 39 



GENUS SPATULA BOIE 

 Spatula clypeata (LiNN.)- ' 



Shoveller; Spoonbill. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Bill much longer than head, spoon-shaped, being twice as wide toward the end as 

 at base. In any plumage may be distinguished from other species by its odd 

 spoon-like bill. 



Male. 'Bill (dried skin) black ; tarsi brownish-yellow ; iris reddish-yellow ; head 

 and upper neck all round dark glossy green ; top of head in specimen before me is 

 glossy black with purplish reflection ; lower part of neck and fore breast and patches 

 at base of tail on each side, also most of lining of wings white ; wing coverts and 

 some of the scapulars on outer webs blue ; scapulars also conspicuously striped with 

 black and white, fore back brownish-black mixed with white, and many of feathers 

 edged with grayish ; lower part of back black. 



"Female. With wing similar, but blue of wing and coverts less distinct; head and 

 neck brownish-yellow spotted with dusky ; the belly with a decided chestnut 

 tinge." Length about 21 inches ; extent about 32 inches. 



Habitat. Northern hemisphere. In North America, breeding from Alaska to 

 Texas ; not abundant on Atlantic coast. 



The Shoveller is a rare and rather irregular spring- and fall migrant 

 in all sections of the state. When found here this species is usually 

 seen singly, or in pairs, and occasionally, though very seldom, small 

 flocks are found. The Shoveller does not breed in Pennsylvania. 



GENUS DAFILA STEPHENS. 



Daftla acuta (LINN.). 



% 



Pintail; Sprig-tail. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Bill a little longer than head and rather narrow ; neck long ; tail of male long and 

 pointed. 



Male in /Spring. Bill black-bluish on sides; tarsi brownish lead color with 

 greenish tinge ; webs black ; head, and about half of neck above dark -brown, glossed 

 with green ; black stripe on back of neck, on either side of which is a long white 

 stripe, connecting with white of lower half of neck and breast and abdomen ; back 

 and sides grayish with fine transverse lines' of black and white ; lesser wing coverts 

 gray ; speculum greenish-purple, with a buff border in front and a black and white 

 border posteriorily ; crissum and long central tail feathers black, other tail feathers 

 light-gray; scapulars and long tertiaries striped longitudinally with black and 

 silver-gray. Length (depends on development of tail, which is usually 5 or 6 inches 

 long) about 28 inches ; extent about 35 inches. 



" Female. With only a trace of the markings of the wing ; the green of speculum 

 brownish with few green spots; feathers of back are brown with a broad U or 

 V-shaped brownish-yellow bar on each feather anteriorily ; sometimes these bars in 

 the shape of broad transverse lines." Baird's B. of N. A. 



Habitat. Northern hemisphere. In North America breeds from the northern 

 parts of the United States northward, and migrates south to Panama and Cuba. 



The Pintail Duck is a regular spring and fall migrant, but rare winter 



