100 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



Notes. — Generally a silent bird, but its note in breeding season is said to 

 be took, took. A few feeble quacks (Elliot). May be compared to the 

 sound of a rattle turned by short jerks (Eaton). 



Nest. — On ground. 



Eggs. — Seven to nine, sometimes more, 3.10 by 1.50; smooth, dull, pale 

 greenish gray or buffy olive. 



Season. — Formerly probably a summer resident; later a spring and fall 

 migrant; now almost accidental in fall, from the middle of September 

 to November. 



Range. — Northern hemisphere. In North America breeds from north- 

 western Alaska, northwestern Mackenzie and southern Keewatin south 

 to southern California, central New Mexico, northern Texas, northern 

 Missouri and northern Indiana; winters from southern British Colum- 

 bia, Arizona, New Mexico, southern Missouri, southern Illinois, Mary- 

 land and Delaware south to the West Indies, Colombia and Hawaii; 

 in migration, occasional in Bermuda, and north to Nova Scotia and 

 Newfoundland. 



History. 



The Shoveller, though a cosmopolitan species, is rare in 

 New England, but, like most of the Ducks, is more common 

 in the west and south. It is fairly common in western New 

 York, and was probably much more numerous in New Eng- 

 land in the early days of settlement than it now is, as it is men- 

 tioned by several of the old chroniclers. In Archer's account 

 of Gosnold's voyage the "Shovler" is noted as among the 

 water-fowl breeding on an island called Martha's Vineyard 

 (No Man's Land), off the Massachusetts coast, on May 22, 

 1602. It was well known to the English settlers and voyagers. 

 Its long broad bill is unmistakable, and as it still breeds in 

 this latitude this record seems worthy of credence. 



Dr. J. A. Allen (1879) says that it is rare in spring and 

 autumn. Formerly, judging from its present breeding in 

 interior, a frequent summer resident. But the only recent 

 record we have of its breeding near Massachusetts is in the 

 Montezuma marshes in New York (Eaton). 



It is not a large Duck nor a swift flyer, and is rather an 

 easy prey to the skilful gunner. I once shot one, however, 

 which went past me, before a strong north wind, at such a 

 rate of speed that, though it was stricken dead in mid air 

 about thirty yards from my position, it struck the ground 

 ninety paces away. It comes readily to decoys and oflfers a 



