244 SHOVELLER DUCK. 
toe with a broad margin. Claws small, arched, compressed, acute ; 
that of middle toe slightly dilated on the inner edge. 
Plumage dense, soft, and elastic; of the head and neck short, 
blended, and splendent, of the occiput and nape considerably elongated ; 
of the other parts in general broad and rounded. Wings of moderate 
length, acute; primaries narrow and tapering, the first longest, the 
second very little shorter ; the secondaries broad, curved inwards ; the 
inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, rounded, of fourteen acute 
feathers, of which the two middle extend five twelfths of an inch be- 
yond the next. 
Bill greyish-black tinged with yellow. Iris reddish-orange. Feet 
vermilion ; claws dusky. Head and upper part of neck, deep green 
with purplish reflections, the top of the head of a darker tint with less 
vivid gloss. A longitudinal band on the hind neck and the back, 
greyish-brown, the feathers edged with paler; the rump and upper 
tail-coverts greenish-black. The anterior scapulars white, the poste- 
rior elongated, light blue on the outer web, longitudinally banded with 
white and greenish-black on the inner. Smaller wing-coverts light 
blue ; alula, primary coverts, and primary quills blackish-brown, their 
shafts white. Outer secondaries greyish-brown, eight of them ex- 
ternally of a rich duck-green; the inner greenish-black, with a longi- 
tudinal white streak ; the secondary coverts broadly tipped with white- 
Tail-feathers greyish-brown, irregularly variegated and margined with 
reddish-white, that colour enlarging on the outer feathers. Lower 
part of neck pure white; breast and middle part of abdomen dull 
purplish-chestnut. A large patch of white on each side of the rump, 
with a band of the same towards the tail; lower tail-coverts greenish- 
black, with bright green and blue reflections ; axillaries and lower 
wing-coverts pure white. 
Length to end of tail 203 inches, to end of wings 19, to end of 
claws 211; extent of wings 314: bill along the ridge 234; wing from 
flexure 93; ; tail 23; tarsus 1,4 ; first toe and claw ,§, ; third toe 1y4,. 
its toe ;°;, fourth toe 14%, its claw 33. Weight 1 lb. 9 oz. 
Female. Plate CCCXXVII. Fig. 2. 
Bill dull yellowish-green, iris paler than in the male; feet as in the 
male but lighter, The upper parts are blackish-brown, the feathers 
edged with light reddish-brown ; the throat and sides of the head are 
