224 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



rest of the head and neck bluish-grey; back brownish-black, the 

 feathers edged with fulvous ; rump and upper tail coverts glossy 

 black, tail black, the outer feathers narrowly margined with 

 whitish; "shorter scapulars brown, with white orescentic bars 

 and rufous edges; the longest scapulars have a central greyish- 

 white stripe, but the upper ones glossy black, while the lower ones 

 have the outer webs light blue, like the upper wing coverts" 

 (B. AI. Cat.); upper wing coverts light blue, with the last row 

 broadly white; speculum glossy green; primaries and outer 

 secondaries brownish-black; inner secondaries long, black glossed 

 with blue, some with a terminal whitish central stripe; feathers 

 of lower neck "and upper edge of breast more or less often very 

 slightly white, centred with blackish-brown and edged with 

 fulvous; rest of breast and abdomen bright rufous-chestnut, with 

 black bands; in old males the black markings practically dis- 

 appear, leaving only the bright reddish-chestnut; flanks brighter, 

 broadly barred with black ; under tail coverts black glossed with 

 green ; a patch of white on the lower flanks ; marginal under wing 

 coverts pale brown, edged with white ; bill purplish-black ; legs 

 and feet bright saffron. Dimensions in mm. : — ^Length, 503; bill, 

 62; wing, 244; tail, 103; tarsus, 31. 



Female. — Crown of the head blackish-brown, slightly streaked 

 with ochreous ; neck ochreous, streaked with black ; back and shorter 

 scapulars blackish-brown, tipped and edged with reddish-brown; 

 longer scapulars as in male, with central streak almost absent ; rump 

 and tail blackish, with narrow rufescent edges; upper wing coverts 

 paler blue, white band on wing, and speculum less distinct than 

 in male; chest and throat sandy-buff; rest of under surface pale 

 brown, the feathers with black centres, more distinct on chest 

 than on abdomen. Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 462; bill, 58; 

 wing, 226; tail, 83; tarsus, 34. 



Young. — Very similar to female. 



Nest. — A slight hollow in the ground among herbage is usually 

 selected, and this is lined with grass and down. 



Eggs. — Clutch seven to nine usually; roundish-oval in shape; 

 texture fine ; surface glossy and greasy ; colour light creamy- 

 white, tinged with green. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch: — (1) 

 50 X 38, (2) 50.25 x 28.5, (3) 51 x 39, (4) 50 x 37.5, (5) 51.5 x 38, 

 (6) 52 X 38.5, (7) 51.5 x 39. 



Breeding Season. — September to November. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, Kmg, and several other 

 of the larger islands in Bass Strait, Australia in general; also New 

 Zealand. 



Observations. — Shooting begins 1st February, ends 30th June. 

 The Blue-wing or Shoveller is a very showy species, especially the 

 male, and although not nearly so plentiful as the Black Duck or 

 the Grey Teal, yet it congregates in fair numbers on several of our 



