ZOOLOGY. 
255 
Sr. Cu.— Male: General color a rich dark purplish chestnut, the top of the head, the chin, and middle of belly, tinged with 
brown. Crissum, dark brown. Fore part of the back lighter, with two or three more or less interrupted eccentric bars of 
dark brown. The feathers of rump and tail greenish brown; the former edged with paler. Wing coverts and outer webs 
of some scapulars blue ; others dark velvet green, streaked centrally with yellowish buff. Edges of greater wing coverts 
white, as are the axillars and middle of wing beneath. Feathers of flanks uniform chestnut, without bands. Speculum 
metallic green. 
Female with the top of the head dusky and the wing coverts blue, as in the male ; the speculum duller. The upper parts 
dark brown, with lighter edges to the feathers. The under parts are brownish yellow, with a strong tinge of purplish 
chestnut in the jugulum, the feathers with concealed spots of brown. The only feathers unspotted with brown on the head 
and neck are in small patches on each side of the base of the bill, and in the chin between the rami. There is an obscure 
dusky patch beneath the head. 
Length, 17. 80 ; wing, 7. 50 ; tarsus, 1.15 ; commissure, 2. 
Eab. —Rocky mountains to Pacific; as far north as the Columbia; accidental in Louisiana; spread over most of western 
South America. 
The South American or red-breasted teal is mentioned by Professor Baird, in Stansbury’s 
Report on the United States Exploring Expedition of the Great Salt Lake, as being obtained 
in that vicinity by Captain Stansbury’s party, and as having once before been obtained in 
Louisiana. Since then many naturalists have demonstrated the abundant existence of this 
species throughout California. I myself have carried its recorded habitat as far north as the 
Columbia river, where, at Port Dalles, in 1855, I obtained several specimens of the species. 
Fort Dalles is situated on the Columbia river, about latitude 46° 45' N. I presume this forms 
the most northernmost limit of the species, excepting, perhaps, a narrow point of the same 
general geographic region which, crossing the Columbia, extends north of Fort Dalles about 
100 miles. This is the culmination northwards of the great wedged-shaped northern prolonga¬ 
tion of the southern Fauna, occurring in the arid interior of Oregon and Washington Territories. 
Near Fort Dalles this teal seems to be an annual summer resident, where it breeds on the 
lagoons of the Columbia and near the small lakes and pond-holes in the basaltic trap of the 
vicinity. It seems much less shy than the other wild ducks generally are. 
The flesh of this duck compares favorably with that of any other kind. In the San Francisco 
market it is commonly known as the cinnamon teal. The dingy spot on the breast and belly of 
the male bird is not constant. I have killed them both with and without it.—S. 
SPATULA CLYPEATA, (Linn.) Boie. 
Shoveller; Spoonbill. 
Anas clypeata, Linn, Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 200.— Gmelin, I, 518.— Lath. Ind. II, 179(T, 856.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 
1814 ; pi. lxvii.—Sw. F. Bor. Am.£11, 1831, 439 .—Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 241; pi. 327.—Iu. 
Syn. 283.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 293; pi. 394. 
Spatula clypeata, Boie, Isis, 1822, 564. —Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, 781. 
Anas (Spathulea) clypeata, Nijtt, Man. II, 1834, 373. 
Sp. Ch.—H ead and neck green ; fore part and sides of the breast, with greater portion of scapulars, and the sides of the 
base of the tail, white; rest of under parts dull purplish chestnut; crissum, rump, and upper tail coverts, black, the latter 
glossed with green. Wing coverts blue ; the posterior row brown in the concealed portion, and tipped with white; longest 
tertial blue, streaked internally with white; others velvet green, streaked centrally with white; speculum grass green, 
edged very narrowly behind with black and then with white. 
Female with the wing similar, but with the blue of coverts and scapulars less distinct. Head and neck brownish yellow, 
spotted with dusky ; the belly with a decided chestnut tinge. 
Length, 20. 00 ; wing, 9. 50 ; tarsus, 1. 38 ; commissure, 3. 02. 
Eab .—Continent of North America; abundant in Europe. 
