SPATULA MARMARONETTA 607 



Souchet, French ; Pato trombeteiro, Portug. ; Pato cuchareta, 

 Span. ; Cuccliiarone, Ital. ; Loffelente, German ; Slobeend, Dutch ; 

 Sktond, Dan. ; Skovland, Norweg. ; Skedand, Swed. ; Lapasorsa, 

 Finn. ; Sehirokonoska, Ootka so/csoon, "Russ. ; Tidari, Punana, 

 Hindu. ; HasTiibiro-gamo, Jap. 



$ ad. (England). Head and upper neck black glossed with bottle- 

 green and purple ; hind-neck and back blackish brown with dull white 

 margins, the rump and upper tail-coverts imperceptibly edged with dull 

 fulvous ; lower neck and scapulars white ; middle tail-feathers brownish 

 grey edged with whitish, the rest dull white with dark centres ; wing- 

 coverts sky-blue, the last row tipped with white ; speculum bright metallic 

 green narrowly tipped with white ; under parts rich rufous ; under tail- 

 coverts creamy yellow marbled with brown ; a white patch on each side of 

 the base of the tail ; bill black, very broad towards the end ; legs and feet 

 bright orange ; iris yellow. Culmen 2'9, wing 9'0, tail 3'1, tarsus 1*3 inch. 

 The female has the head, neck, and upper parts dark brown with clay- 

 yellow or clay-brown margins ; under parts dull clay with dark spots on 

 the breast and flanks ; wings as in the male but much duller, the wing- 

 coverts only washed with bluish. In the summer the male assumes a dress 

 like the female but darker, and the blue on the wings and green speculum 

 are retained. 



Hob. Europe generally, north to the Arctic circle; North 

 Africa, in winter south to Somaliland and Casamance ; Asia 

 east to Japan, north to Kamchatka, south to Southern China, 

 India and Ceylon in winter; North America from Alaska to 

 Mexico, in winter ranging as far south as Panama. 



Is a fresh-water duck, though not unfrequently to be seen 

 on the sea-coast ; it feeds principally on the seeds of various 

 aquatic plants and vegetable matter, aquatic insects, grain, etc. 

 Usually it is not so shy as Anas boscas, and is as a rule a silent 

 bird, but in the breeding season its note took, took, may be 

 heard. It breeds in May, June, and July, its nest being a 

 depression in the soil near water, lined with grass and down. 

 Its eggs, 8 to 14 in number, are pale greenish grey, sometimes 

 greyish cream, and measure about 2-0 by T37. 



MARMARONETTA, Reichenb., 1852, 



846. MARBLED DUCK. 

 MARMARONETTA ANGUSTIROSTRIS. 



Marmaronetta angustirostris (Menetr.), Cat. Eais.* p. 58 (1832) ; (Gould), 

 B. of E. v. p. 373 ; (Dresser), vi. p. 479, pi. 423 ; Salvador!, Cat. B. 

 Br. Mus. xxvii. p. 321 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 454. 



