296 
SHOVELLER DUCK. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed, rounded above ; neck mode- 
rate ; body rather full, slightly depressed. Feet short, stout, placed a little 
behind the centre of the body ; legs bare a little above the joint ; tarsus 
very short, moderately compressed, anteriorly with small scutella, and an 
external short series of larger, on the other parts reticulated with small 
scales. Hind toe very small, with a narrow free membrane ; third toe 
longest, fourth almost as long ; the three anterior slender, with numerous 
oblique scutella, and connected by webs which have the margin concave 
and denticulate ; the inner toe with a broad margin. Claws small, arched, 
compressed, acute ; that of middle toe slightly dilated on the inner edge. 
Plumage dense, soft, and elastic ; of the head and neck short, blended, 
and splendent ; of the occiput and nape considerably elongated ; of the 
other parts in general broad and rounded. Wings of moderate length, 
acute ; primaries narrow and tapering, the first longest, the second very 
little shorter ; the secondaries broad, curved inwards ; the inner elongated 
and tapering. Tail short, rounded, of fourteen acute feathers, of which the 
two middle extend five twelfths of an inch beyond the next. 
Bill greyish-black, tinged with yellow. Iris reddish-orange. Feet ver- 
milion ; claws dusky. Head and upper part of neck deep green, with 
purplish reflections, the top of the head of a darker tint with less vivid 
gloss. A longitudinal band on the hind neck and the back, greyish-brown, 
the feathers edged with paler ; the rump and upper tail-coverts greenish- 
black. The anterior scapulars white, the posterior elongated, light blue on 
the outer web, longitudinally banded with white and greenish-black on the 
inner. Smaller wing-coverts light blue ; alula, primary coverts, and primary 
quills, blackish-brown, their shafts white. Outer secondaries greyisli-brown, 
eight of them externally of a rich duck-green ; the inner greenish-black, 
with a longitudinal white streak ; the secondary coverts broadly tipped with 
white. Tail-feathers greyish-brown, irregularly variegated and margined 
with reddisli-white, that colour enlarging on the outer feathers. Lower 
part of neck pure white ; breast and middle part of abdomen dull purplish- 
chestnut. A large patch of white on each side of the rump, with a band of 
the same towards the tail ; lower tail-coverts greenish-black, with bright 
green and blue reflections ; axillaries and lower wing-coverts pure white. 
Length to end of tail 20§ inches, to end of wings 19, to end of claws 
2li ; extent of wings 31a ; bill along the ridge 2 T \ ; wing from flexure 
9 r 3 o ; tail 2ff ; tarsus 1 T 4 ¥ ; first toe and claw T * ¥ ; third toe 1 T 9 ¥ , its claw r s ¥ ; 
fourth toe 1 T¥ , its claw 3?^. Weight 1 lb. 9 oz. 
Female. 
Bill dull yellowish-green, iris paler than in the male ; feet as in the male, 
but lighter. The upper parts are blackish-brown, the feathers edged with 
