SPATULA.— NTEOCA. 219 



Valley o{ Mexico {fferrer a ^^ ^^), CosamaloaTpam (Boucard ^) ; Guatemala, Duefias ^ ^, 

 Huamachalis (^O.S.); Costa Rica [v.Frantzius^). — Colombians; West Indies i^. — 

 NoKTHEEN Europe and Asia, extending southward in winter to N. Africa, India, 

 and China i^. 



The Common Shoveler is an inhabitant of the temperate portions of the Old 

 and New Worlds, just entering the subarctic regions during the breeding-season ; 

 it is much more plentiful in the Western United States than in the Eastern, and is 

 found in winter both on the inland lakes and waters, as well as on the Pacific coast. 

 S. clypeata occurs throughout Central America in winter, and reaches as far south as 

 Colombia ; the species is very common in the vicinity of Mazatlan from November to 

 May, and in Guatemala we met with it on the Lake of Duehas during this season, 

 the birds taking their departure about the end of March. 



In habits and food this Shoveler does not differ from the typical Ducks, but it is 

 said to be especially fond of insect-food. The nest is generally placed in a tussock of 

 reeds, or concealed amongst rushes &c., the depression being lined with dead grass or 

 sedge and also with down. The eggs are from seven to nine in number, and of a 

 pale greenish-grey colour. 



Subfam. FULIGTJLINM. 



In this subfamily are contained the typical Diving-Ducks, which have the hind toe 

 broadly lobed, and a somewhat flattened and depressed bill. They differ from the 

 Erismaturinse, which are also Diving-Ducks, in their softer and more flexible tail- 

 feathers. 



The Pochards and Golden-eyes, which represent the Fuligulinse in Central America, 

 are all species which breed in northern latitudes and are found within our limits 

 only in winter. 



NYROCA. 



Nyroca, Fleming, Phil. Zool. ii. p. 260 (1822); Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 334 (1895). 

 Aythya, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 564; Sharpe, Hand-list Birds, 1. p. 222 (1899). 



The Pochards, and all the other Diving-Ducks, may be distinguished from the 

 Anatinee by the length of their toes as compared with the tarsus, and by the broad 

 lobe on the hind toe. The bill is more slender than in the Scaup-Ducks {Fuligula), 

 beino- about as wide at the base as it is near the tip. The tail-feathers are normal 

 and not much stiffened. Eight species of Pochard are known, of which two are 

 peculiar to North America, these visiting our region in winter. 



28* 



