38 SPATULA PLAT A LEA 



April to spend the winter (Barrows, 1884). When Mr. J. L. Peters was in north- 

 western Patagonia (Rio Negro) in 1920, the species was first seen by him on October 

 9, and soon after it became common. Apparently it was strictly a migrant and 

 breeder there. In November, 1920, near Lavalle, Buenos Aires, Dr. Wetmore (MS.) 

 noted a few males appearing in a great migration of male Brown Pintails, which had 

 apparently left their females and were seeking summer moulting places. 



Wariness. This is one of the least wary of South American ducks (P. L. Sclater 

 and Hudson, 1889; E. Gibson, 1920). 



Daily Movements. Nothing recorded. 



Gait, Swimming, Diving. Mr. Peters (MS.) generally found the Red Shoveller 

 feeding close to the shore without "tipping up." He did, however, on November 

 16, watch three males and a female "tipping up," the males in this attitude display- 

 ing their brilliant orange-colored legs. He never saw them dive. 



Flight. The flight is like that of other Shovellers, — rapid, darting and some- 

 what noisy when rising. Like other South American ducks they are seen in pairs 

 more or less throughout the entire year. These pairs often bunch together into com- 

 panies of twenty or thirty (P. L. Sclater and Hudson, 1889) and in winter great 

 flocks of one to two hundred have been seen (A. H. Holland, 1892; Barrows, 1884). 



Association with other Species. Mr. Peters (MS.) notes that single speci- 

 mens associate with Brown Pintails but the flocks usually keep to themselves, and 

 contain no other species of duck. 



Voice. This must be a very silent bird, as are the other Shovellers, for neither 

 Mr. Peters nor Dr. Wetmore, who paid particular attention to field observations, 

 makes any mention of the note. In fact the only writer who makes any remarks 

 about it is that pioneer in the field of Argentine ornithology, the late Mr. Hudson. 

 "When disturbed or flying," he says, "the male emits a low sputtering sound, and 

 this is its only language." I must confess that this does not enlighten us much. 



The trachea of the male, apparently hitherto undescribed, is 125 mm. in length and 

 slightly larger in the lower third of its course. The bulb is small, but somewhat 

 bi-lobed, the lobes being globular in shape and the space between them a trifle con- 

 stricted. This expansion faces to the left and forward, and measures 16 mm. by 10 

 mm. across. 



Food. Nothing recorded. 



