120 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



above the tail, apparently to give a good balance, as the wings are very far back." 

 Lord Lilford says, when flying alone and unalanned, the Shoveler is observed 

 to turn its head constantly, as if looking for an acquaintance or some special 

 object, and that the Pintail has the same habit. He considers it is not an easy 

 bird to keep in captivity, as com and meal do not seem to suit it. 



The peculiar form of the bill will distinguish the Shoveler at once from all 

 other species. It is not always easy to distinguish between the male recovering 

 from his "eclipse" plumage, and a young male of the year assuming the breeding 

 dress. 



Family— ANA TID/E. 



Pintail. 



Dafila acuta, LiNN. 



THE Pintail is a Duck of the most elegant and high-bred appearance, and on 

 land and water its movements are both active and graceful. Although 

 generally distributed throughout Great Britain in winter, it can scarcely be 

 considered a very common species anywhere, especially so when we contrast its 

 appearances in these islands with other parts of both the old and new world, where 

 it is found in immense numbers. The Pintail has a breeding range only second 

 to that of the Shoveler and Mallard. It nests in some numbers in Iceland, also 

 in Fseroe, and generally across arctic and subarctic Europe, as far north as lat. 70°. 

 In the British Islands, Holland, Denmark, North Germany, and Russia, as far 

 south as lat. 50°. On May 17th, 1894, and subsequently, Mr. Wm. Eagle Clarke 

 found Pintails in the swamps of the Camargue — that is the delta of the Rhone — 

 under circumstances which left no doubt that they were breeding. This was an 

 important discovery, as it extends the breeding range of the Pintail 7° further 

 south than was suspected. Mr. Hartert says in East Prussia it passes regularly 



