SPOONBILL. 261 



comparatively small space in the neighbourhood of the eye, being fully 

 feathered. The bird deriv'es its distinctive name from the glossy 

 black hue with metallic reflections of the upper-parts, with the excep- 

 tion of the head and neck, which, like the under-surface of the body, 

 are deep reddish brown. The beak is dark brown, the bare skin 

 round the eye greenish, the eye itself hazel, and the leg bronzy brown. 

 In appearance the hen differs from her partner merely by her slightly 

 inferior size ; but birds of the year lack the beautifully bronzy green 

 tints of their parents, and also show streaks of grey and white on the 

 head and neck. The nestling and eggs do not concern us in the present 

 work. In size the adult is approximately the same as the male curlew, 

 the total length being 22 inches. 



The glossy ibis ranges over the warmer regions of the greater part 

 of the globe, extending from the south of Europe across Asia to India, 

 China, the Malay countries, and Australasia, and reappearing in the 

 Eastern United States, although replaced to the south of the latter by 

 a nearly related species. From the south of Europe a certain number 

 of individuals cross the Alps, and of these some wander so far north 

 as the British Isles and even Iceland and the Faroes. Although prob- 

 ably more frequently seen in Norfolk (where it was known to the 

 fen-men and gunners as the black curlew, and was far from uncommon 

 three-quarters of a century ago) than elsewhere, this bird has occurred 

 occasionally in almost every part of the United Kingdom. The in- 

 stances of its occurrence in our islands are indeed much too numerous 

 to be quoted in detail ; but it may be mentioned that between the 

 years 1872 and 1900 thirteen British and Irish specimens were recorded. 

 Since the latter date several British occurrences have been noted, 

 including no less than twelve from Ireland and six from Scotland 

 and the Isles. 



In India, where it is a common and well-known bird, the glossy 

 ibis is usually seen in large flocks, which frequent marshes, tanks, rice- 

 fields, and the margins of tidal creeks and rivers, where it feeds upon 

 insects, crustaceans, shell-fish, worms, and such-like. The nest is a 

 platform of sticks built in a tree, and containing at the proper season 

 three bright blue esus. 



'&&>' 



Three centuries or so ago the quaint and yet 

 eminently graceful spoonbill used annually to nest 

 with the herons at Claxham and Reedham in 

 Norfolk, as well as at Trimley in the adjacent East 

 Anglian county ; while there is likewise evidence that a century earlier 



Spoonbill 



(Platalea 



leueorodia). 



