ANSEEES SPATULA 145 



America as far south as 68° N. Lat. It migrates southward in the 

 northern winter to Africa, southern Asia and central and northern 

 South America, including the West Indies. 



In Africa it is a regular visitor as far as Abyssinia, south of 

 which it has only once been procured, so far as I am aware. In the 

 Ibis for 1893 Mr. W. G. Fairbridge states that a single male was 

 brought to him in the flesh by Mr. J. C. Gie, which had been shot 

 by his herd on September 14, 1893, at Eiet Vlei, about eight miles 

 from Cape Town. This specimen, which is a male in nearly full 

 breeding plumage, is now preserved in the South African Museum. 

 Mr. Fairbridge adds that a few days previously he had himself seen 

 a Duck with a white breast which he forbore to shoot at, thinking 

 it was a domesticated bird. On its rising, however, he perceived 

 his mistake, and fired at it, but without effect. 



625. Spatula capensis. Cape Shoveller. 



Bhynohaspis capensis, Smith, Cat. S. A. Mus. p. 36 (1837) ; id. lUusir. 

 Zool. S. Afr., Aves, pi. 98 (1844) ; Laijard, B. 8. Aft: p. 354 (1867) ; 

 Gurney, Ibis, 1868, p. 50 [Natal and Transvaal] ; Layard, Ibis, 

 1869, p. 377; Bryden, Gun and Camera, p. 407 (1893). 



Spatula capensis, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 341 (1872) ; 

 Butler, Feilden and Beid, Zool. 1882, p. 428; Sharpe, ed. Layard's 

 B. S. Afr. p. 759 (1884) ; Nicolls and Mglington, Sportsm. S. A. p. 

 128, pi. xii, fig. 66 (1892) ; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 318 (1895) : 

 Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 173 (1896) ; Eeichenow, Vbg. Afr. i, p. Ill 

 (1900) ; Gates, Cat. B. Eggs, ii, p. 178 (1902). 



" Slop " of Colonists. 



Description. Adult Male. — Crown of the head dark brown 

 speckled with fulvous, sides of the head and neck pale fulvous 

 slightly spotted with black ; breast, mantle, upper scapulars and 

 back, dark brown with U or V shaped bars of fulvous ; lower back, 

 upper tail-coverts and tail black, outer tail-feathers with paler edges ; 

 primaries and their coverts blackish ; median and lesser coverts 

 to the edge of the wing and innermost scapulars pale blue, tips of 

 one or two of the outermost secondary coverts white, forming a 

 patch above the speculum, which is metallic green, inner secondaries 

 a bluish green, darker than the speculum ; below fulvous brown with 

 darker brown spots and bars giving a mottled appearance ; under 

 tail coverts darker. 



Iris lemon yellow; bill deep reddish-brown to black; legs 

 oohraceous yellow, webs a little darker at the. edges. Length 205 ; 

 wing 1045; tail 3*5 ; oulmen2-4; tarsus 14. 



10 VOL. IV. 



