PLATALEID^ — THE SPOONBILLS — AJAJA. 101 



The above diagnosis is sufficient to characterize this well-marked group of birds. 

 The Spoonbills are very intimately related to the Ibises, the only essential differences, 

 so far as external features are concerned, being in the form of the bill. 



Seven species of the family are known, only one of these being American ; one is 

 African, two Australian, two Palaearctie, and one a native of the Philippine Islands. 

 Three of the six exotic species we have not seen, namely, Plataha major, Temm., 

 ScHLEG. of Japan, Leucerod'ms temdrostris (Temm.) of Africa, and L. hizoniensis 

 (Scop.) of the Philippines. The remaining species, however, are now before us, 

 and appear to be each assignable to a distinct genus, the generic characters of each 

 are as follows : — 



Genera of Plataleidae. 



A. Bill long and narrow, its greatest breadth not more than one fourth the length of the culmen. 



Sides and toj) of the head feathered in the adult. Plumage of the neck normal and com- 

 pact. 



a. Occiput crested; tertials and jugular feathers normal. 



1. Platalea.^ Forehead feathered. Tarsus nearly twice the middle toe ; bare portion of tibia 



longer than middle toe. 



2. Spatherodia.2 Forehead completely naked. Tarsus much less than twice the middle toe ; 



bare portion of tibia shorter than middle toe. 



b. Occiput not crested ; tertials icith their lower ivebs decomposed, the fihrilke long, pendant, hair- 



like ; jrtgidar feathers acicular, stiffish. 



3. Platibis.3 Anterior part of forehead bare (also orbital, malar, and gular regions, the pos- 



terior outline well defined and nearly vertical). Tarsus nearly twice the length of the 

 middle toe ; bare portion of tibia longer than middle toe. 



B. Bill rather short, very broad, its greatest breadth about one third the length of the culmen. 



Sides and top of the head completely naked in the adult. Plumage of the neck short 

 ^ and downy. 



4. Ajaja. Tarsus but little longer than middle toe ; bare portion of tibia shorter than 



middle toe. 



G-ENus AJAJA, Reichenbach. 



Ajaja, Reichenb. Handb. 1851, xvi. Type, Platalca ajaja, Linn. 



Gen. Char. Bill much expanded and excessively depressed terminallj^, the tip decurved, 

 much broader than deep at the base, the middle portion contracted to considerably less than one 

 half the width of the terminal " disk." Nostrils sub-basal, superior, near together, longitudinal, 

 and without adjacent membrane. Head completely bald in the adult (feathered almost to the bill 

 in the young). Legs comparatively short, the tarsus but little longer than the middle toe, cov- 

 ered in front, as well as all round, with small, longitudinal, hexagonal scales. Plumage of the 

 neck short, downy.* 



1 Plaialea, LiNX. Syst. Nat. ed. 10, \. 1758, 139 ; ed. 12, L 1766, 231. Type, P. leucerodia, Linn. 

 (Palaearctic region). 



2 Spathcroclia, Eeichenb. Handb. Sp. Orn. 1851, xvi. Type, Platalca melanorJnjncha, Reichenb. = 

 P. rcgiu, Gould (P. Z. S. Oct. 21, 1837, 106. —New Cambria, Australia). 



3 Plafcihis, BoNAP. Consp. H. 1855, 149. Type, Platnlea jlavipes, Gori.D (P. Z. S. Oct. 24, 1837, 106.— 

 New Cambria, Australia). 



* A peculiar modification of the trachea further distinguishes the genus Jjajn from Platalea, according 

 to Professor Garrod (P. Z. S. 1875, p. 299, fig. 2), who describes this organ as "simple, straight, of uni- 

 form calibre, and peculiarly short, extending only two thirds the neck, where the uncomplicated syrinx 

 is situated, and the bifurcation of the bronchi occurs." In Platalca, on the other hand, the trachea is 

 "convoluted within the thorax," etc. (see Yarrell, Hist. Brit. B. H. p. 504). 



