394 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



quarters in Europe are the basin of the Mediterranean and North 

 Africa as far south as the Great Desert, and Abyssinia ; in Asia 

 are Persia, India, Ceylon, China, and Japan; in America are 

 the Southern States, the West Indies, Mexico, and Central 

 America south to Panama. 



Allied Forms. — None of sufficient propinquity to call for 

 notice. Representative species occur as follows : Anas platalea, 

 Neotropical region ; A. capensis, Ethiopian region ; A. rhynchotis, 

 A. variegata, Australian region. 



Time during which the Shoveller may be taken.— 



August ist to March ist. 



Habits. — The migration of the Shoveller to our islands from 

 more Arctic latitudes commences in September and continues 

 through October to November. The return journey commences 

 in April and lasts well into May, and in some countries continues 

 right through the latter month into June. It was first noticed in 

 the valley of the Petchora, near the Arctic Circle, by Messrs. 

 Harvie-Brown and Seebohm on the 19th of June; and by the 

 latter gentleman one day earlier in the valley of the Yenesay, in 

 the same latitude. These dates are late even for the Arctic 

 regions, and the species was probably overlooked upon its first 

 arrival. It arrives at its winter quarters in India towards the end 

 of October and the beginning of November, and leaves during 

 April and May. Its migrations are almost invariably performed 

 during night, and the bird does not appear to congregate in 

 very large parties for the purpose. Although the Shoveller 

 occasionally visits the low-lying coasts, it is a thorough fresh- 

 water species, and loves to frequent lakes and large sheets of 

 water, ponds and slow-running rivers. In our islands it is cer- 

 tainly a shy, suspicious bird, keeping well out in the centre 

 of the water if human intruders be lurking about ; but in India 

 it is one of the tamest of Ducks. Hume states that in the North- 

 West Provinces it may be met with in pairs on almost every 

 village pond, even those of the filthiest description, Httle more 

 than cesspools, being frequented until scarcely a drop of liquid 

 filth remains as the hot season approaches. Here on these 

 ponds it is often as tame as the domestic Ducks, and when 



