103* BIRDS OP ILLINOIS. 



Ajaja ajaja (Linn.) 



KOSEATE SPOONBILL. 

 Popular synonym. Pink Curlew (Florida). 



Platalea ajaja Linn. S. N. ed. 10, 1758, 140 (ex Sloank, B. Jam. ii, 316; Mabcgb.; Rat); ed. 



12, i, 1766, 231.— Wils. Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 123, pi. 62 (immature).— Nutt. Man. ii,1834, 



79.— Aud. Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 188; B. Am. vi, 1843, 72, pi. 362 (adult).— Cass, in 



Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 686.— Baied, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 501.— Coues, Key. 



1872, 264; Check List, 1873, No. 448. 

 Ajaja ajaja Bouo. Cat. Av. 1876, 54.— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 183.— Ridgw. Man. 



N. Am. B. 1887, 123. 

 Platea mexicana ("Willoughby") Gamb. Jour. Acad. Nat. Sei. Phila. Ser. 2, I, 1849, 222 



("San Francisco"). 

 Ajaja rosea (ex Platea rosea Beiss.) Reich. "Nat. Syst. 16".— Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, 



No. 505.— Coues, 2d Check List, 1882, No. 653.— B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. i, 1884, 102. 



Hab. Whole of tropical and subtropical America; north regularly to Gulf coast of the 

 United States; formerly ranging northward in Mississippi Valley to southern Illinois. 



Sp. Chae. A dult: Head entirely bare. Neck, back, and breast, white ; tail orange-buff, 

 the shafts of the feathers deep pink, the inner webs inclining to pale pink. Rest of the 

 plumage pale rose-pink, the lesser wing-coverts' region, and upper and lower tail-coverts, 

 brilliant, intense carmine. Chest with a tuft of light carmine, somewhat twisted, or 

 curled, narrow plumes. Sides of the breast, at base of the wings (concealed by the latter), 

 pale creamy buff. "Bill yellowish gray at the base, mottled with brownish black, in the rest 

 of its extent pale greenish blue, light on the margins; base of margin of lower mandible 

 greenish yellow; iris bright carmine; feet pale lake; claws brownish black; head yellowish 

 green; space around the eye and the gular sac orpiment-orange; a band of black from the 

 lower mandible to the occiput" (Audubon). Immature: Like the adult, but lacking the 

 brilliant carmine of the lesser wing-coverts' region, tail-coverts, etc., these portions being 

 pale peach-blossom pink. Tail delicate peach-blossom pink, instead of orange-buff. 

 Nuchal and pectoral colored tufts absent. Young: Head completely feathered, except im- 

 mediately around the base of the bill. Head, neck, back, and anterior lower parts white, in 

 some specimens more or less tinged, especially above, with orange-buff; 1 wings, tail, and 

 posterior part of the body delicate pale peach-blossom pink, the shafts of the remiges and 

 rectrices deeper pink. Outer webs of alulae, outer primary-coverts, and wide borders to 

 outer primaries (principally on outer webs), clear snuff-brown. 



[Note. We have not seen the young in down, nor when first feathered. The latter is 

 described by Audubon as follows: "The young, . . . when able to fly, . . . are 

 grayish white. The bill is then quite smooth, of a yellowish green color, as are the legs 

 and feet, as well as the skin on part of the head. Young birds in their second year have 

 the wings and the lower wing-coverts of a pale roseate tint, the bill more richly colored, 

 and the legs and feet dark brownish red or purplish. At this age they are unadorned with 

 the curling feathers on the breast; but in the third spring the bird is perfect, although it in- 

 creases in size for several seasons after."] 



Length, about 28,00-35.00 inches ; expanse of wings, 48.00-53.00; wing, 14.10-15.30; tail, 

 4.20-5.20; culmen, 6.20-7.15; width of bill, 2.00-2.20; tarsus, 3.75-4.65; middle toe, 2.95-3.35; 

 bare portion of tibia, 2.80-3.20. 



Although, like the Carolina Parrakeet and Ivory-billed Wood- 

 pecker, the Roseate Spoonbill may not now be found in Illinois, 

 I was informed, in 1879, by a taxidermist 2 whom I have every 



1 Qu. An accidental stain? 



* Mr. Alexander Wolle, Sr„ of Baltimore. Md. (See Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, v, Jan. 1880, p. 31.) 



