50 



DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Genus SPATULA Boie. 



SPATULA CLYPEATA {Unn.). 



Shoveller. Broad-bill. 



Adalt inah : Bill, very much broadened: head and neck, dai-k gveen ; lireast, i)ure wliite, 

 shading into puri^lish chestnut on the belly; wing coverts, blue; speculum, green, edged with 

 white; feet, orange red. 



Length, 20; wiug, 9.50; bill, 2.70; tarsus, L.50. 



Adult female : Head and neck, mottled and stre.<iked with pale brown and dark brown or 



(t'eniale.) 



(M.ale.) 



Ijlack; under parts, bi'ownish, mottled and spotted with fuscous, scarcely showing on the 

 middle of the bell_y ; speculum and wing coverts as hi the male. 



Immature male : Intermediate in plumage between the adult male and female, but the 

 speculum shows but little green, and the wing coverts are slaty gray; the head is often 

 lilotched anil mottled when changing to adult plumage. 



Length, liL.oO; wing, 9. .50; bill, 2.C0 ; tarsus, 1..50. 



The Shoveller, or Broad-bill Duck, occurs throughout the Northern 

 Hemisphere, Ijeing common in the interior. 



It ranges in winter to South America and the West Indies, and is one of 

 the common species in Florida and the Gulf States. It breeds in the interior 

 from Minnesota northward. The eggs are pale liuff white, usually from six 

 to ten in number. The note of the male is a gutteral short "Thuck, thuck " ; 

 the female "quacks." 



