ANATESLE — THE DUCKS — SPATULA. 
525 
Genus SPATULA, Boie. 
Spatula, Boie, Isis, 1822, 564 (type, Anas clypeata, Linn.). 
Rhynchaspis, “Leach,” Stephens, Shaw’s Gen. Zool. XII. ii. 1824, 114 (same type). 
Char. Bill longer than the head, much expanded, or almost spatulate, terminally, where about 
twice as wide as at the compressed base ; maxillary lamellae very thin, lengthened, almost com- 
pletely exposed posteriorly, where resembling the teeth of a fine comb. Tail short, the feathers 
acute. 
Of this very curious and well-marked genus, in which, however, there is little that is peculiar 
except in the form of the bill, about five species are known — one occurring throughout the north- 
ern hemisphere, the others peculiar to South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. 
In the two American species and that from Australia there is a very close resemblance in the 
coloration of the Aving to certain species of Querquedula (e. g. discors and cyanoptera ) ; while in 
the Australian species (S. rhynchotis ) this curious analogy is carried still farther, the coloration of 
the head, including the Avhite crescentic bar across the lores, being almost exactly as in Q. discors. 
The characters of the two American and the Australian species are as follows : — - 
S. clypeata. 
Com. Char, (adult males). Lesser Aving-coverts pale dull blue ; middle coverts broadly tipped 
Avith Avhite ; speculum bronze-green ; tertials striped centrally with Avhite ; lower parts chestnut- 
rufous ; a white patch at the base of the tail, on each side. 
A. Culmen nearly straight, slightly depressed in the middle ; feathering at base of maxilla, on 
each side extending forward as far as that on the forehead. 
1. S. clypeata. Head and neck dull dark green ; jugulum white. Hah. Northern hemi- 
sphere. 
2. S. rhynchotis. Head and neck dull broAvnish gray, faintly glossed Avith glaucous-green 
on the nape ; the anterior part of the head marked on each side by a Avhite crescentic 
bar across the lore ; jugulum dusky, marked with buff. Hob. Australia. 
B. Culmen decidedly concave in the middle portion ; feathering at the base of the maxilla on 
each side, forming a straight vertical line. 
3. S. platalea. Head and neck buff, speckled Avith dusky ; jugulum light cinnamon, spotted 
Avith black. Hah. Southern South America. 
The genus Spatula has a near relative in the curious Malacorliynchus membranaceus of Aus- 
tralia, which has a somewhat similar but still more remarkable bill, and differs further in the 
