SHOVELLER DUCK. 
297 
light reddish-brown ; the throat and sides of the head are light reddish 
brown, which is the prevailing colour over the lower part of the neck, a 
portion of the breast and the sides, of which, however, the feathers are mar- 
gined with dusky ; the middle of the breast white. Smaller wing-coverts 
dull brownish-grey ; alula and primaries as in the male ; inner secondaries 
brownish-black ; the speculum as in the male, but paler, and changing to 
blue ; the secondary coverts tipped with white ; tail nearly as in the male. 
Length to end of tail 17 inches ; to end of claws 20 ; bill along the ridge 
2 r V ; extent of wings 29£. Weight 1 lb. 1 oz. 
The bill of a male measures 2 inches and 8 twelfths along the ridge, the 
frontal angles 4 twelfths more ; the breadth of the upper mandible at the 
base is 8| twelfths, near the end 1 inch and 3 twelfths. The roof of the 
mouth is broadly and deeply concave, with a prominent median ridge, which 
becomes papillate towards the base ; the edges of the mandible soft, direct, 
inflected towards the end ; lamellae projecting beyond the margins and taper- 
ing to a point. On each side of the lower mandible are about 220 lamellae, 
and about 180 on the upper. The tongue is 2f inches long, deeply emargi- 
nate at the base, with numerous papillae, for half an inch narrow and com- 
pressed, then for an inch expanded, with a thin longitudinal flap above on 
each side divided into lamellae and minute bristles, at its anterior part having 
a breadth of 1 inch and terminating abruptly, but with a median thin semi 
circular tip, which is 3 twelfths long. 
The oesophagus is 8 inches and 10 twelfths long, 4 I twelfths in diameter, 
its walls thick. The proven triculus is oblong, 1 inch in length ; its gland- 
ules of moderate size. The stomach is a strong gizzard of moderate size ; 
the lateral muscles and their tendons large, as in all other Ducks. The 
intestine is very long, measuring 8 feet, and very narrow, its diameter being 
from 2 twelfths to II twelfths, for half its length, after which it enlarges to 
31 twelfths at the distance of about 2 feet from the commencement of the 
rectum, then gradually diminishes to 2 twelfths. The rectum is 3 inches 2 
twelfths long, the coeca 4 inches, their diameter for inches twelfths, 
afterwards 3s twelfths. 
The trachea is 6 inches 9 twelfths long, very little flattened, its diameter 
at the upper part 2| twelfths, gradually enlarging to 4 twelfths. On the left 
side of the inferior larynx there is a rounded expansion of very moderate 
size compared with that observed in many other Ducks. The rings are 98 ; 
those at the lower part broader and much stronger, but all of them ossified. 
The bronchial half rings about 35. 
In another individual, the stomach is II inches long, 1 T S 2 broad ; the right 
lateral muscle 6 twelfths thick. Contents, particles of quartz, and fragments 
Yol. VI. 41 
