THE SPOONBILL 51 



Ceylon. The Spoonbill also breeds throughout 

 Africa, south to the Soudan, and the Dahalak 

 Archipelago in the Red Sea. It is a winter 

 visitor to Arabia. The Spoonbill is only a 

 summer visitor to Europe, arriving in April, and 

 leaving in September and October. Its favourite 

 summer haunts are swamps, especially those 

 near the sea, the shallow reed and rush clothed 

 margins of lakes, and the dense thickets of willow 

 and alder trees on the submerged banks of large 

 rivers like the Danube and the Volga. The Spoon- 

 bill is a gregarious species, and not only lives in 

 societies, but frequently mingles with other Herons, 

 Ibises, and Cormorants. Its habits are very similar 

 to those of its allies. It has the same sedate walk, 

 and may often be seen standing in the shallows or 

 on the topmost branch of a tree quite motionless. 

 Like most large birds, it is somewhat shy, but at 

 its breeding-places will pass to and fro in silent 

 flight above the head of the intruder. It is not 

 known to utter a note of any kind, but frequently 

 makes a sharp clapping sound with its bill after 

 the manner of a Stork. Its food principally con- 

 sists of small crustaceans, insects, and molluscs, 

 the bird searching for them in the Duck-like way 

 for which its broad spatulate bill is so admirably 



