Measurements—Total length, 15 inches; wing, about 7, and bill, 1 1/2 inches.
| SHOVELLER OR SPOON-BILL (Spatula clypeata) |
THE SPOON-BILL OR SHOVELLER
(Spatula clypeata)
The shoveler, or spoonbill, as they are commonly called, is also an early duck upon our ponds; they, too, breed throughout the mountains of our hunting grounds. When they first arrive on our ponds they are very fat and finely flavored, but they soon become poor of flesh and lose the flavor brought with them from their mountain homes. And then they are generally let pass undisturbed by the discriminating sportsman.
Color—Male—Head and neck, green; breast, white, shading into rusty chestnut toward the abdomen; lesser wing-coverts, blue; speculum, green, with white border; legs, orange red.
Female—The female is much smaller than the male and lacks all its high coloring. The general color is buff, mottled with brown; wing-coverts and speculum, same as the male.
Nest and Eggs—The nest, which is a rude affair, generally contains from seven to ten eggs of a light buff color.