THE SPOONBILL 



{plat ALE A LEUCORODIA) 



A LTHOUGH the Spoonbill is still an abnormal 

 visitor at irregular intervals to our islands, 

 it must now be regarded as another of our lost 

 British birds. We do not share the recently 

 expressed opinion of an eminent naturalist, that 

 these accidentally occurring individuals would 

 doubtless once again take up their residence 

 amongst us ; for what we already know of the 

 laws of avine dispersal is diametrically opposed 

 to such a proceeding. These odd wandering Spoon- 

 bills that from time to time pay us their uncertain 

 and irregular visits are migrants out of their 

 proper course, not pioneers in quest of pastures 

 new ; and these, we doubt not, will gradually cease 

 to be noticed in England at all as the bird becomes 

 extinct in Holland, its last stronghold in North- 

 western Europe, and where most of its breeding- 



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