250 THE BIRDS OP EIVER AND VLEI 



The Cape Widgeon {Anas capensis) is often confused with 

 the Eed-billed Teal, but can be distinguished by its green 

 speculum. 



The Eed-billed Teal {Anas erythroryncha) is called the 

 Smee-eendje by the Dutch. It is brown above, the feathers 

 of the back being edged with pale salmon-pink ; below 

 white, nearly every feather with a half-round spot of ashy- 

 black near the tip ; bill pink with a brown stripe down the 

 centre of the mandible. Length, 18 to 19 inches. 



It nests amongst the reeds and rushes on the bank of a 

 river or vlei, or even on the weeds growing in the water. 

 The eggs have been described as greenish-white, and also 

 creamy-brown. As we have never been fortunate enough 

 to take the eggs ourselves, we cannot say which is correct. 



The European Shoveller has been recorded from South 

 Africa by W. G. Fairbridge, of Cape Town. 



The Cape Shoveller {Spatula capensis) is a scarce bird. 

 In addition to the localities given in Stark and Sclater 

 " Birds of South Africa," a male in beautiful plumage was 

 procured at Modderfontein, Transvaal, which is now in the 

 Transvaal Museum. 



The South African Pochard {Nyroca capensis) is of a dark 

 brown colour, the male having the centre of the back and 

 upper wing-feathers finely speckled with whitish ; a white 

 band on the wing. The female is paler, is without the 

 freoMing, and has the lower surface mottled with white 

 and brown. Length, 20 inches. 



It is fairly generally distributed over South Africa. It 

 arrives at Modderfontein in August, leaving again in April. 

 The eggs are pale creamy-white. 



