80 WADING BIRDS. 



and other of the West India islands, as well as in Mexico, 

 Guiana, and Brazil. In the southern hemisphere they are 

 said to exist in Peru, and as far down the coast of South 

 America as Patagonia. North of the equator, they migrate 

 in summer into Florida, and are met with to the con- 

 fines of the Altamaha, in Georgia. Wilson's specimen was 

 obtained up the Mississippi, at the town of Natchez, (about 

 the latitude of 32°.) They are also occasionally met with 

 on the river shores of the Alabama, and in other parts of 

 that state. A straggler has been known to wander as far as 

 the banks of the Delaware. 



According to the relation of Captain Henderson, in his 

 account of Honduras, this species is more maritime in its 

 habits than that of Europe, as it wades about in quest of 

 shell fish, marine insects, fry, and small crabs ; and in pur- 

 suit of these, according to him, it occasionally swims and 

 dives. 



The European, or white species, appears to reside in much 

 cooler climes than the American, being abundant in Holland, 

 and even at times visiting the shores of the south and west 

 of England in whole flocks. They are there, however, birds 

 of passage, and in their migrations accompany the flocks of 

 swans. As we have already said, in our remarks on the 

 habits of the genus, the European birds nest in trees, or 

 bushes near to the sea coast, and lay two or three white eggs, 

 about the size of those of a hen, powdered with a few pale 

 rufous spots. Their flesh is said to savor like that of the 

 tame goose, and the young are esteemed as good food. 



The Red Spoonbill is about 2 feet 6 inches long ; and about 4 feet 

 in alar extent. The bill 6^ inches, 2 inches wide at the widest ex- 

 tremity, and only | of an inch in the narrowest part, black for about 

 half its length, and covered with hard scaly protuberances. Tongue 

 very small. Crown and chin bare of plumage, covered with a 

 greenish skin, (at this age of the individual ;) the fold of skin below the 



