1887.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 279 



gray ou the upper side toward the tip ; lores and naked eye i lug whitish ; 

 naked throat flesh-color. 



lu the second year a small crest appears, and t^ie quills are pure 

 white*, very rarely with a dusky streak on or near the shaft of the 

 first primary ; the male has a slight trace of the yellow band across the 

 lower neck; iris changes to brownish yellow after the second year; on 

 the bill a few corrugations appear from the nostrils downwards, the color 

 above on the widened spatula somewhat dusky, becoming yellowish 

 towards the tip ; naked skin round the eyes yellowish white, that of the 

 throat more reddish. 



When three years old the European Spoonbill has obtained its final 

 coloration; the large white crest reaches a length of 6 inches, white on 

 the outside, but beautifully tinged with rusty on the inside ; a broad, ill- 

 defined cross band of ochraceous buff surrounds the lower end of the 

 neck; iris blood-red ; the corrugations ou the bill extend further; the 

 <iolor of the bill is black except the terminal half of the spatula, which 

 is of a vivid ocher-yellow, and the spaces between the corrugations are 

 tinged with light slate-blue; naked throat reddish yellow, paler above, 

 or like the lores and eyelids, which are whitish yellow, or often only 

 white. 



In the subjoined tables of measurements 1 have incorporated the 

 ■dimensions of the type as given by Schlegel {I. c), and of a Formosan 

 specimen recorded by Mr. Swinhoe (Ibis, 1S04, p. 3G7), converted into 

 millimeters. I have also tabulated Blakiston's notes, to which I have 

 iidded a few measurements derived from Mr. Jouy's tracings from two 

 of the specimens In the Educational Museum, Tokio. Finally, there are 

 some measurements of European P. leucorodia for comparison. I have 

 thus laid all the available data before the reader. 



Tables of dimensions. 

 I. — Platalea MA.JOR (U. S. Nat. Mus. ). 



* Mr. Seebobm (7. c.) says that " Birds of the year have the bill somewhat iuterme- 

 diate ; the primaries are pure white." This is evidently a mistake, and he probably 

 aneans " Birds of the second year." 



