AVES—AVO SET.. ..SPOON BILL. 

 AMERICAN AVOSET.i 



641 



This species, from its perpetual clamor and flippancy of tongue, is called 

 by the. inhabitants of Cape May, the lawyer. Wilson found these birds, as 

 well as the long-legged avost, in the salt marshes of New Jersey on the 20th 

 of May. They flew around the shallow pools, uttering the sharp note of 

 click, click, alighting on the marsh, or in the water, fluttering their loose 

 wings, and shaking their half-bent legs, as if ready to tumble over, keeping 

 up a continual yelping note. The nest was built among the thick tufts of 

 grass, of sea-weed, dry grass, and twigs, and raised to the height of seve- 

 ral inches. 



THE ROSEATE SPOONBILL. 2 



Tins stately and elegant bird inhabits the seashores of America from 

 It also appears to wander up the Mississippi sometimes 



Brazil to Georgia 



1 Rccwrcirostra Americana, Lath. 



* Platalea ajaja, Lin. The genus Platalea has the bill very long, much flattened, dilat- 

 ed towards the extremity, and rounded like a spoon or spatula ; upper mandible channeled 

 and transversely sulcated at the base ; nostrils approximated, oblong, open, bordered with 

 a membrane ; face and head wholly or partially naked ; legs long ; the three anterior toes 

 connected to the second joint by deeply cut membranes ; the hinder one long, and bearing 

 on the ground. 



81 



54* 



