ANSERES SPATULA 143 



stagnant lagoons lying alongside so many African rivers, but is 

 seldom met with on the rivers themselves. It is generally seen 

 in small flocks of from eight to ten individuals, and is by no means 

 uncommon ; most observers state that it is not a very shy bird, and 

 add that it is excellent eating. 



It usually makes its nest among the thick rushes on the border 

 of a vlei ; sometimes the nest is actually floating in the water ; it is 

 constructed of sedge and usually lined with down and fine feathers ; 

 the eggs are from eight to ten in number and are described by Fitzsim- 

 mons as of a light greenish white colour ; examples preserved in the 

 South African Museum and obtained some years ago by Mr. Jackson 

 are creamy-brown and glossy ; they are fairly oval in shape and 

 measure 2-0 x 1"55. Andersson found eggs in February and March 

 at Ondonga, Fitzsimmons near Maritzburg ; it probably breeds 

 throughout the country. 



Examples of this species have been imported into Europe and 

 have bred in the Zoological Gardens in London. 



Genus X. SPATULA. 



Type. 

 Spatula, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 564 S. clypeata. 



Bill very large and spatulate ; far exceeding the length of the 

 head ; width of the upper mandible towards the tip nearly twice that 

 at the base ; culmen nearly straight and flat ; nail narrow and 

 small ; lamellae along the edge of the upper mandible closely set and 

 elongated ; wings long and pointed, the first and second primaries 

 longest and subequal ; upper wing-coverts pale blue ; tail of 14 

 feathers, which are somewhat narrow and pointed, especially the 

 central pair, which project somewhat ; tarsus short, about equal to 

 the inner toe and shorter than the other two, with a row of scutes 

 in front ; hind toe small, with a very narrow lobe. 



This genus is cosmopolitan in range and includes four species ; 

 two of which, one a resident, the other a very rare migrant from the 

 north, are found in South Africa. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Head and neck glossy green 8. clypeata, ^p.l44. 



B. Head and neck fulvous, thickly spotted with 



brown. " 



