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The Shoveler. Anas clypeata Germanis Maf.
Numb. XCVII, and XCVIII. ITS Length from the Point of the Bill to the End of the Tail is one Foot
nine Inches and a half; Breadth two Foot eight Inches ; Weight two
Pound ; its Bill is three Inches long, coal black, much broader toward the
Tip than attheBafe, excavated like a Buckler, of a round Circumference;
at the End it hath a fmall crooked Hook or Nail; each Mandible is pectinated
or toothed like a Comb, with Rays or thin Plates inferted mutually
one into another when the Mouth is Ihut; the Tongue is.fleihy, thick,
broad, efpecially toward the Tip; but the Tipitfelf is thinner and femi-
circular; the Indes of the Eyes are of a deep yellow; the Legs and Feet of a
Vermilion Colour, and the Claws black; the hind Toe little, the Membrane
connecting the Toes ferrate about the Edges, and the Feet are leis
than in others of the Duck kind.
The Head and Neck are of a dark ihining green; the under Side of the
Neck and Region of the Craw are white; the upper Side and Shoulders
party-coloured of white and brown ; the reft of the Breaft.gnd the whole
Belly to the Vent is red, and behind the Vent the Feathers under the
Tail are black j the Back is brown, with a light Dafh of ihining green,
blue or purple Colour; the Feathers covering the Outiide of the Thighs
are adorned with tranfverfe dusky Lines, as in many others.
The Number of quill Feathers in each Wing are twenty four, and the
ten or twelve outermoft are wholly brown, the next nine have their outer
Edges of a deep ihining green;. the four next the Body are varied in the
middle, and about their Edges with white Lines : The Feathers of the fe-
cond Row incumbent on the green quill Feathers have white Tips, which
taken together, make a crofs Line of white in the Wing; the lefler covert
Feathers of the Wing, excepting thofe on the outermoft Bone, are of a
pleaiant blue, inclining to an aih Coluor; the Tail is about three Inches
and a half long, and coniifts of fourteen Feathers party-coloured of white
and black, the outermoft being wholly white, and the middlemoft, except
the extreme Edges, wholly black; the reft black in their middle parts, and
white about t he Borders or Outiides. At the Divarication of the Wind-Pipe
it hath a fmall Labyrinth, a large Gall, oblong Tefticles; a fmall mufcu-
lous Stomach or Gizzard ; the Guts many times reflected and very long:
The Female in refpeCt of Colours, both in the Head and Neck, the whole Body,
upper Side and under Side, excepting the Wings, is very like to the W ild
Duck; the Wings are of the fame Colour with thofe of the Male, but more
dull, and wanting the Beauty which is in his. B b The