106 The IVater-fowl Family 



buff; under parts, buff, spotted with brown ; bill, brown ; base of 

 maxilla and mandible, orange ; iris, yellow ; legs, orange. 



Measurements — Length, 19 inches ; wing, 8.75 inches ; culmen, 2.50 

 inches; tarsus, 1.20 inches. 



Young male — Resembles female, but coloring is deeper ; under parts 

 darker. Adult male when moulting resembles female. 



Downy young — Back of neck and upper parts, olive-brown, otherwise 

 pale buff; yellowish spots on each side of back and rump ; the 

 bill is like that of the other ducklings, not enlarged. 



Eggs — Eight to twelve in number, greenish white in color, and 

 measure 2.05 by 1.40 inches. 



Habitat — Europe, Asia, and northern portions of Africa in the Old 

 World. In North America breeds from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, 

 Kansas, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and California and probably 

 Lower California and Mexico, north to the Bering Sea coast of 

 Alaska, Saskatchewan, Kenewatin, and probably to Fort Ander- 

 son, and east to Ontario. Winters from Maryland, occasionally 

 New Jersey, possibly Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Arizona, 

 and British Columbia, south to the West Indies and Central 

 America; also in Hawaii. Occasional in migrations on the 

 Atlantic Coast, north to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland ; and 

 in Bermuda. 



In the United States the shoveller has a wide 

 range, but is rare on the Atlantic Coast. It is 

 most abundant through the prairie states, south 

 into Texas and Mexico. This species undoubtedly 

 breeds along a large part of its range. It is found 

 nesting regularly in the fur countries, in the 

 vicinity of the Yukon River, Lake Winnipeg, and 

 the Barren Grounds, and commonly in Montana, 

 Dakota, and Manitoba. The nest is close to the 

 water on the edge of a marsh or island, concealed 

 under grass or brush, and consists of a mere de- 

 pression, roughly lined with grass. A nest found 



