^VHITE SPOONBILL. 237 



JIERODIONE^. PLA TA LEIDJi. 



Platalea leucokodia, Linnaeus.* 



THE WHITE SPOONBILL. 



Platalea leucorodia. 



Platalea, Linnceux^.—'^iW very long, strong, very much flattened, dilated 

 at the point, rounded in the form of a spoon ; upper mandible channelled and 

 transversely grooved at the base. Nostrils on the upper surface of the beak, 

 near together, oblong, open, bordered by a membrane. Forehead, lore, orbits, 

 and chin, naked. Legs long, strong, three toes in front, united as far as the 

 second articulation by a membrane, the marginal edge of which is deeply 

 concave ; hind toe long. Wings rather large ; the third quill-feather nearly as 

 long as the second, which is the longest in the wing. 



The SpooNBiLii is recorded as a British bird by Merrett, 

 on the authority of Dr. Turner, and Sir Robert Sibbald 



* Platakri Leucorodia, Linnnt'us, Syst. Nat. Ed. 12, i. p. "231 (1766). 

 t Joe. rit. 



