156 cassell's book of birds. 



To the above naturalist we are indebted for the following interesting particulars concerning the 

 attachment to their mates that characterises these beautiful birds : — " One day Mr. Beales' aviary at 

 Macao was broken open, and the male bird stolen; his poor mate remained in a retired part of the 

 aviary and refused to be comforted. She would scarcely take any food, and allowed her plumage to 

 become dirty ; in vain did another Drake endeavour to console her for her loss, she rejected all his 

 advances, and remained disconsolate. After some time the lost bird was discovered in the hut of a 

 Chinese of the lower class, and was brought back again. As soon as he recognised his old abode, 

 he expressed his joy by flapping his wings and quacking vehemently, and no sooner did his mate 

 recognise his voice than she almost quacked to screaming with ecstacy, and flew to meet him, and 

 both expressed their joy by crossing necks and quacking together. Next morning the returned spouse 

 fell upon the unfortunate Drake who had made advances to his mate in his absence, pecked his eyes 

 out, and otherwise so disfigured him as to occasion his death in the course of a few days." According 

 to Schrenck, this species appears in the countries watered by the Amoor about May, and departs 

 again at the end of August ; at this season it is always met with in small or large flocks, which are so 

 extremely shy that they rarely come within gunshot. Whilst on the wing these parties crowd closely 

 together in front, whilst the birds in the rear occupy a comparatively free space ; the same authority 

 states he has repeatedly seen Mandarin Ducks perching upon trees. These beautiful birds have been 

 successfully reared in the London Zoological Gardens, some being hatched under the parent, and 

 others under a Domestic Hen ; the latter hatching the eggs two days sooner than the mother. The 

 eggs are of a creamy brown colour. 



THE SHOVELER DUCK. 



The Shoveler Duck {Spatula clypcata) represents a group distinguished by their very 

 remarkable and large bill, slender at its base, very broad and vaulted towards its extremity, and 

 finely denticulated at its margins. The plumage of the male of this species is much variegated. The 

 head and upper neck are dark green ; the nape, upper back, and short shoulder-feathers edged with 

 light grey ; the lower neck, crop, and the upper wing-covers are white ; the rest of the wing is light 

 blue, decorated with a broad white stripe and a patch of metallic green. The lower parts of the back 

 and rump are blackish green ; the breast and belly chestnut-brown. The lower tail-covers are black, 

 the quills brown, the centre tail-feathers brown bordered with white, and those at the sides more or 

 less white. The eye is golden yellow, the bill black, and the foot reddish yellow. This bird is 

 nineteen inches long and thirty inches broad ; the wing measures ten inches and a half, and tail two 

 and a half. The plumage of the female is greyish yellow, darkly spotted ; the upper wing is grey, with 

 a small greyish green patch, and her bill greenish yellow, edged with pale red. The summer costume 

 of the male resembles that of his mate. The Shoveler Duck inhabits the temperate regions of the 

 earth, and only occasionally wanders into northern latitudes. In Europe it is met with in all parts as 

 far north as Norway. In Great Britain it is usually only a winter visitor, but occasionally remains to 

 breed. From these temperate latitudes it wanders forth during the winter to Mexico, North and 

 Central Africa, the South of China, and India. Audubon, who met with this bird in the United 

 States, where he tells us it is rare, says : — " The Shoveler walks prettily, and I have often admired its 

 movements in the puddles formed by heavy dashes of rain in our Southern cornfields, where I have 

 found it in company with the AVood Duck, Mallard, and Pintail. Its flight resembles that of the 

 Blue-winged Teal, and in tenderness as well as in flavour its flesh rivals that of that beautiful bird 

 as an article of food. No sportsman who is a judge will ever pass a Shoveler to shoot a Canvas-back. 

 It is rarely ever found on salt water, and then only when compelled to resort thither." The Shoveler 

 Ducks pass a good deal of the day on dry land ; they, however, principally frequent lakes, marshes, 



