THE SHOVELER 311 
quills and central feathers of the tail dusky ; 
outer tail feathers silvery gray or white. Bull 
blackish, about two and three-quarters inches 
long and one and one-quarter inches wide at the 
broadest part which is near the tip. Feet light 
orange and small in proportion to the size of the 
bird, as becomes an aristocrat among water- 
fowl. Iris bright orange, almost red, in the 
male; in the female yellow. 
The female is not widely different from the 
female mallard in her coloring except for the 
bluish cast of the wing coverts, but, of course, 
may be at once distinguished by the remarkable 
bill. Her wing markings are much like the 
drake’s though not quite so brilliant. Head and 
neck brownish yellow with dusky specklings. 
Throat pale buff. Faint traces of the chestnut 
below. Feet and legs paler than male’s. 
These birds in their breeding dress are not 
common here; as they are usually taken in the 
fall, the only legitimate shooting season, they 
are not nearly so brilliant as when in the spring 
plumage, the fall dress being a much soberer 
suit than the wedding garments. Perhaps 
the bird’s own mood has taken on a different 
hue. 
