242 SHOVELLER DUCK.
This species is generally considered scarce in tie; United States,
¡ino I believe it is s<3,; for, although many pass northward and breed in
the Fur Countries:,, a greater* mmilxMP spend the summer months in the
Texas and the districts farther westward. It is however abundant, on
the streams of the Rocky MoMfcias, as Veil.as on the tributaries of the
Columbia River, where it was frequently observed by Dr Townsend,
during summer.
Wo have no Bucks ta the United States whiMe; plumagtf is more
changeable than that of the male of this beautiful »pociies: While the
female is sitting on her eggs, he undergoes a moult, after which he appears
mottled, and seems as if inclined to assume the garb of his partner:
From this period, the begimimg of July, until late in November,
wry few finely.coloured males arc to V«i seen, and only such as have not
mated that season, in which ease they;io not moult uliti'l the beginning
of winter; as if to be: the sooner ready to associate with female® «»; thé
approach of the1 next breeding season.
In the ('aro! i t e , this' species, though found during winter in thé
rice fields, is not abundant : more than three or four being seldom seen
together.- In our Central and Eastern Districts, they are rather rare,
and a male in full dress is not to be obtataiSwithout difficulty, although
I have' seen some in the markets of Slew York and Philadelphia.
The Shoveller walks prettily, and 1 havi! often admired its movements
in a® puddles formed by heavy dashes of rata in our southern
corn-fields, where I have found it in company with the Wood Buck,
the Mallard, and the Pta-tàil. Its flight resembles that of the Hluowtaged
Teal; and ta tenderne!»;as well as ta flavour, it rivals, as an
article of food, that beautiful bini. No sportsman who is a judffc
will ever pass a Shoveller to shoot a Canvass-back. It is ràreh however
found 011 salt water, and /fiat only when compelled t" resort
thither.
In tfie beginning of May, when I was in-1 Texas, I found Shovellers
breeding in considerable numbers, Thé males had already left
the females, and were seem on the' sand-bars of the Bay of Galveston,
up to< the River St Jacinto, but none of my party discovered,'the nest
Baring the autumn, they are to be seen on thé waters: adjoining «fife
Ohio, and generally in ponds in company with the Bald-pate or American
Widgeon, when they become very fat, and afford delicidiis eating.
At this time I l i fve been often much pleasou wlicm, on perceiving a flock
SHOVÊLLËft DÜCK. 243
of eight or nine of these ducks, probably members of a single family, and
cautiously approaehtag them, while they wore busily engaged in searching
for fooll with their heads and flbeks immersed, I have obtained
sevi'hil of them at thé first shot, and as th.- survivors flëw off have Sueeétedêd
a procuring one or two niorc. On such occasions, they rise, almost
perpendicularly td the height of fifteen or twenty foot. and then
fly off ta a direct course; in' the. manner of Mallards.
vol,i.p. 200. Lath. InA. Oniitii.tol; H-'jP- N —
a . Him/Mi. Synoiwù of Birds of Tjhitéâ Sta&t, p. 382.
: ifiovELiER, It'«». Amur. (Imitli. vol. ifii. p: 45, pi. 87, 7.
Anis p A K U j Shovs»», JSMmd'- andSimim. I t a . Bor.-Ainef. ifol.; il.
I F-i3BShoveller,
Nntt-all, Manual, vol. ii. p. 439. '
Adult Mali; Plate CCCXXVI I . fig. 1.
Bill longer than the head, higher than broad at the base, depressed
and much widened towards the end, where its breadth is doubled
Upper mandible with the dorsal line sloping and very slightly con
cave, the ridge at the base broad, narrowedi over the nostrils ; sides
nearly erect at the base, gradually more dcc.linate and convex; the
tip v e r y broadly rounded, with the unguis oblong, rather small, curved
and rounded at the extremity : the margins soft, with very numerous
lamellae, which are prolonged beyond the edges and taper to a
point, unless at the commencement of the broadest part of. the. bill.
Nasal groove elliptical, and filled by the soft membrane of the bill ;
nostrils elliptic^, pervious, placed near the ridge. Lower mandible
slightly curved upwards, with the angle very long and narrow, the
unguis ohovate.
Head, of moderate size, oblong, compressed, rounded above,; neck
moderate ; body rather full, slightly depressed. ,. Feet short, stout,
placed a little behind the eentre of the body ; legs bare a little above
the joint;:; tarsus very, short., moderately compressed, anteriorly with
small scutclla, and an external short, series of larger, oh 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