BIRDS OF NEW YORK I97 



Young and eclipse drakes: Found in all stages from that resembling the 

 female to that of the high plumage figured by Mr Fuertes in plate 14. 



Length 17-21 inches; extent 30-34; wing 9-10; tail 3; bill 2.65-2.75; 

 tarsus I. 3-1. 36. 



The Shoveler, Spoon-bill, or Spoon-bill teal, is rare on Long Island, 

 and in eastern New York, but fairly common as a migrant in western New 

 York, arriving from the south from the 15th of March to the 5th of April 

 and passing north from the 20th of April to the 12th of May. It has been 

 taken on Long Island as early as February 12th and may pass the winter 

 rarely in the southern part of the State. In the fall it arrives from the north 

 the 15 th of September to the 30th and leaves for the south October 15 th 

 to November loth. In habits the Shoveler resembles the Pintail, pre- 

 ferring the marshes, shallows and flooded lands, feeding on the seeds of 

 aquatic plants, snails and insects. Its cry, according to some, resembles 

 the syllables took, took, or may be compared to the sound of a rattle turned 

 by short jerks. This species is holarctic in range, but does not usually breed 

 nearer to us than the St Clair flats and is most common in the interior of 

 America along the Mississippi valley, nesting principally from Iowa, 

 Colorado and northern California northward to central British Columbia 

 and the Saskatchewan, and rarely to Ft Anderson and Kotzebue sound. 

 Several years ago a Shoveler reared her brood on the Montezuma marshes, 

 near the residence of Mr Foster Parker, who saw the old bird come from 

 the nest and occasionally saw her with her brood until they were grown. 

 This is the first definite breeding record for the State. The Shoveler 

 is common in the West during migration and winters from Maryland and 

 Missouri southward to Panama. 



Dafila acuta (Linnaeus) 

 Pintail 



Plate IS 



Anas acuta Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. 10. 1758. i: 126 



DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 341, fig. 244 

 Dafila acuta A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 143 



da'fila, no meaning known; acu'ta, Lat., sharp, acute, referring to the tail 



Description. Male: Head and upper neck rich brown turning to black 

 on the nape and glossed with green and reddish bronze on the sides of the 



