504 



8 



side, in the manner of the Roseate Spoonbill, sifting, as it were, the contents of the soft mud or 

 water, and ejecting the substances unfit for food. Repeated inspection of the stomach has shown 

 me that the Shoveller is not more nice as to the quality of its food than the Mallard or any other 

 of the Duck tribe ; for I have found in it leeches, small fishes, large ground-worms, and snails. 

 They never, however, I believe, feed by semiimmersion, like the Mallards and Teals ; nor do 

 they dive, unless hard pressed, or when in a sportive mood, when they will dash for a moment 

 beneath the surface." 



It breeds in the months of May, June, and July, placing its nest (which consists of a hole 

 scratched in the soil, and lined with a few grass straws and a considerable quantity of down 

 plucked from the bird itself) close to the water, usually near some freshwater pond or lake, 

 though, according to Mr. Benzon, it often in Denmark breeds near the coast and on islands in 

 the fiords. The nest is usually carefully concealed in the high grass or under a low bush, and 

 contains from nine to twelve, according to Naumann sometimes as many as fourteen, eggs. 

 Mr. Benzon informs me that in Denmark the eggs are deposited from the 2nd to the 26th of 

 May ; but Mr. Meves found a nest on Oland, containing eight eggs, as late as the 24th of July. 

 Eggs I have in my collection, obtained by Mr. Benzon at Boel, Jutland, are in colour rather 

 paler than those of the Mallard, and very fine in the grain; the colour may be described as 

 greenish grey, very pale and soft in tone. In shape they are longish oval, tapering slightly 

 towards the smaller end, and in size measure from lf^ by 1^§ to 2^ by 14^ inch respectively. 

 Mr. Benzon informs me that they sometimes vary in colour to greyish cream ; and judging from 

 a large series in his collection the average size is 51 by 37 millimetres, the largest measuring 

 55 by 38, and the smallest 51 by 36 millimetres. 



Dr. E. Rey informs me that he possesses eggs " from Mecklenburg, Hamburg, Denmark, the 

 Island of Gothland, Hiddensee, Oderbruch, the Lakes of Mansfeld, Sleswick, and from North 

 and South Russia. Von Negelein found them in Oldenburg ; and Blasius near Brunswick. I 

 found fresh eggs at the Lakes of Mansfeld from the middle of May till the beginning of June, 

 their number varies from eight to ten. I found the average size of thirty-five eggs to be — 

 52 - 5 by 36 - 6 millimetres, the largest measuring 55 - 5 by 35"5 and 54 - 5 by 38, and the smallest 

 50*5 by 34 - 5 millimetres." 



The specimens figured are in my collection, and are in full winter plumage ; and those 

 described are also in my possession, excepting the male in autumn plumage, which is in the 

 collection of Baron A. von Hiigel. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser, 

 a, (J, b, $. Leadenhall Market, December 1870. c, d, pull. Boel, Jutland, 1867 [A. Benzon). 



E Mus. Baron A. von Hiigel. 



a,3,b,%. Christchurch, Hants, February 1873; c, d, 3 . Poole Harbour, Dorset, February 1873 {A. v. H.). 

 e,f, g. Hiddensee, Germany, winter of 1871; h, <S ad. Galicia, 1872 (Schliiter). i, 6 . Archangel, June 

 1872 (E. R. Alston). k,pullus. Perm, Russia, June 25th, 1872. 



