The Shoveler 
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sentry's face as he solemnly presented arms to the two most appalling figures 
in Europe was too much for us — a picture little short of ' Laughter holding 
both his sides.' How we laughed, too, for many a day after, over this serio- 
comic adventure ! 
The Plumage of the Male Shoveler 
Adult Male. Spring plumage. — Weight, i lb. 8 ozs. to i lb. 14 ozs. ; 
length 20 inches ; wing 9-5 inches. Bill leaden black ; eyes bright yellow ; legs, 
toes, and webs orange ; head and neck green over black ; lower neck and 
scapulars white ; centre of back dark brown with light edges ; shoulders pale 
blue ; upper wing coverts white ; secondaries dark brown with bright green 
wing spot ; primaries, rump, and tail coverts brown and black ; edge of flanks 
pale straw vermiculated with black ; under tail coverts black. 
The young male Shoveler in first plumage is somewhat larger than the 
female, and at this period passes through a stage similar to that of the young 
Mallard, i.e. a rapid body-growth and a considerable colour-change in the back 
before the actual autumn moult commences. By the middle of September we 
see the moult beginning, and from this date till the following February there 
is no surface-feeding duck whose plumage-change progresses so slowly. In 
its ordinary course there is little difference between September and January, 
but towards the end of the latter month a big flush of new feathers takes 
place, either on the whole of the breast down to the vent, or amongst the 
feathers of the lower neck, where a few pure white feathers appear. In very 
advanced birds the moult extends over the whole of the lower neck and 
breast. By the middle of March, numbers of the dark green feathers begin 
to show themselves on the cheeks, and in April there is an accession of white 
feathers on the scapulars. In May and June the whole plumage continues to 
trend towards maturity, and many new feathers which have come in the 
plumage on the scapulars and sides of the neck are changing colour all the 
time, from a half compromise with the old first plumage to that of the 
adult bird. Nevertheless, the whole bird cannot be said to be anything like 
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