PLATALEID^ — THE SPOONBILLS — AJAJA. 105 



as far noi-tli as Texas. It feeds on fishes and insects, which it hunts in the water. 

 Its common names are ''Garza Colorada," "Espatula," etc. 



Dr. Henry Bryant, who visited Florida in 1858, states that at the time of his visit 

 the Eoseate Spoonbill was breeding in such numbers at Indian Elver that he has 

 known one person to kill as many as sixty in a single day. The wing-feathers, being 

 largely used in the manufacture of fans, were selling at from one dollar to one and a 

 half for a single pair. He adds tliat this bird commences breeding at Pelican Island 

 in February, having eggs as early as the middle of that month, the young being 

 nearly fledged l)y the 1st of April. On the 10th of that month he found one nest 

 containing an egg. All the rest were either empty, or the young were on the point 

 of leaving them. This egg measured 2.56 inches in length, and 1.56 inches in breadth, 

 and was of an elongated oval form, the difference between the two ends being strongly 

 marked. The ground color he gives as white, sprinkled all over with bright rufous 

 spots of different sizes, forming a ring near the large end. Dr. Bryant also met with 

 a few at the Biminis, Bahama, where they were said to breed. 



Mr. G. C. Taylor (Ibis, 1862), who visited Florida three years after Dr. Bryant, 

 states that while, only a few years previous to his visit, this species had been very 

 plentiful on Indian Eiver, their number had of late become greatly diminished, 

 owing to the destruction of them for the sake of their wings. He was informed 

 that after breeding on Indian Eiver it moves northwards, and remains during the 

 summer in the salt-marshes about Smyrna. He saw a living bird that had been 

 brought up from Indian Eiver a year previous. It was quite tame, and associated 

 freely with the poultry. While he was staying at Smyrna a person brought with 

 him four young Spoonbills from Indian Eiver which had been taken from their nest 

 a short time previously. There appeared to be no difficulty in rearing them. 



Audubon states that it is rarely met with as far north as the Carolinas. Dr. 

 Bachman, during twenty years' observation, knew of but three instances. In one 

 of these he obtained an individual in full plumage ten miles north of Charleston. 

 He found it Avintering among the keys near Cape Sable, where it remained until 

 nearly the 1st of March, living chiefly along the watercourses and not far from 

 the coast ; they were not seen either wintering or breeding in the interior. 



It is to be met Avith, for the most part, along the marshy or muddy borders of 

 estuaries, the mouths of rivers, on sea islands, or keys partially overgrown with 

 bushes, and still more abundantly along the shores of the salt-water bayous so com- 

 mon within a mile or two of the shore. There the Spoonbill can reside and breed,^ 

 with almost complete security, in the midst of an abundance of food. It is said to 

 be gregarious at all seasons, and that seldom less than half a dozen may be seen 

 together, unless they have been dispersed by a tempest. At the approach of the 

 breeding-season these small flocks collect together, forming immense collections, after 

 the manner of the Ibis, and resort to their former breeding-places, to which they 

 almost invariably return. Their moult takes place late in ]\Iay ; during this time the 

 young of the previous year conceal themselves among the mangroves, there spending 

 the day, and returning at night to their feeding-grounds, but keeping apart from the 

 old l)irds, which last have passed through their spring moult early in March. Like 

 the several species of Ibis, this bird, is said occasionally to rise suddenly on the wing, 

 and ascend gradually, in a spiral manner, to a great height. It flies with its neck 

 stretched forward to its full length, and its legs and feet extended behind. It moves 

 in the manner of a Heron, with easy flappings, until just as it is about to alight, when 

 it sails over the spot with expanded wing, and comes gradually to the ground. It 

 flies in a confused manner, except when on one of its extended movements. 



VOL. I. — 14 



