196 INDIAN DUCKS, 



Genus SPATULA. 



Tlie oenus Spatula i.s distingui-shed from all oilior gonora, ('xce})t the 

 Australian Malacorhijnrhns, hy tlio sliai)0 of the bill, ^vhicll is broadly 

 spatnlate, being about twice as broad at the subtip as it is at the base. There 

 are four species, whose range is practically cosmopolitan ; but only one is 

 represented in India, viz, the Common fSlioveller. 



The lamella) are very long, thin, and prominent, and the edges of the 

 upper mandible are much turned down on the terminal ({uarter. 



The tail-feathers number 14 in both sexes. 



(33) SPATULA CLYPEATA. 

 THE SHOVELLEE. 



Spatula clypeata, Jenlon, B. I. iii, p. 796 ; Hume, Str. Feath. i, p. 260 ; 

 Adam, ibid. p. 402 ; Butler, ibid, iv, p. 28 ; Scully, ibid. p. 1U9; Fairbatik, 

 ibid, p, 264 ; Ball, ibid, vii, p. 232 ; Hume, ibid, p, 492 ; id. Cat. 

 no. 957 ; id. /Str. Feath. viii, ]). 1 15 ; Sculhj, ibid. p. 362 ; Le(j<je, B. of Cey. 

 p. 1086; Hume ^' Mar. Gamc-B. iii, p. 141 ; Vidal, Str. Feath. ix, p. 92; 

 Butler, ibid. p. 437 ; Reid, ibid, x, p. SO ; Davidson, ibid. p. 325 ; Hume, 

 ibid. p. 417; Macyregor, ibid. p. 472; Barnes, B. of Bom. p. 40l ; Hume, 

 Str. Feath. xi, p. 343; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p, 306; Blanford, 

 Fauna B. I. iv, p. 452 ; Oates, Game-B. ii, p. 246, 



Description. Adult male. — Whole head and neck glossy green, showing a 

 ])arple tinge in certain lights, especially on the upper parts; upper breast, lower 

 neck, outer scapulars, and outer portion of upper back mauve-white ; a narrow 

 centre patch from the neck brown, the feathers edged pale, in iiiie specimens 

 with broad white edges; back brown, tlie featliers pale-edged; rump and upper 

 tail-coverts black, glossed with peacock-green and blue, the former tint pre- 

 dominating ; rectrices brown, edged white, increasingly broader on the outer 

 ones ; lower breast, flanks, and abdomen rich rufous-chestnut, some of the feathers 

 on the posterior and interior flanks lighter and vermiculated with brown ; thighs 

 the same btit duller : sometimes a few black spots on the breast ; wing-coverts a 

 beautiful blue-grey, some of those next the inner secondaries glossed Prussian 

 blue on the terminal qtiarter of the outer web ; greater coverts more brown and 

 edged with white, forming a wing-bar next the speculum ; one of the outer 



