PLATALEID^. 



393 





THE SPOONBILL. 



Platalea leucor6dia, Liniiceus. 



Prof. Newton has shown (Tr. Norfolk Soc. 1896, p. 158) that in 

 the time of Edward L (1300) the Spoonbill was known, under the 

 name of "Popeler," to breed in Norfolk; while up to the days of 

 Willughby and Sir Thomas Browne it used to nest on trees — in 

 company with Herons — in that county and Suffolk. Mr. Harting 

 has drawn attention to breeding-places near Goodwood in Sussex, 

 and at Fulham in Middlesex (Zool. 1877, p. 425; 1886, p. 81) 

 in the sixteenth century, when its usual name was "Shoveler," or 

 "Shovelard"; and Owen, in 1602, describes it as nesting on high 

 fees in Pembrokeshire. Even now the bird frequently visits East 

 ;)Lnglia, and is found from time to time along the south coast, 

 ?gpecially in Cornwall ; while occasionally it wanders up the 

 Thames valley. In Pembrokeshire and on the flats of Cardigan Bay 

 : is often seen, though on the west side it is rare. Nine specimens 

 lave been recorded from Yorkshire, but northward it is of rare 

 ccurrence ; stragglers have, however, been obtained in the Inner 



