WHITE SPOONBILL. 241 



to sit on depositing the first. After wandering about, a 

 matter of difficulty on account of the mud, we found a clutch 

 of only three eggs, and one of four, which I managed to 

 blow. We also obtained two clutches of eggs of the Purple 

 Heron, but some of the latter had young." 



At Erzeroum, Dickson and Ross state that in May 

 " several nests are placed near each other, about the middle 

 of the river. They are made of reeds, bound together by 

 weeds, which are piled up a few inches above the water's 

 edge. Over this foundation dried reeds are placed in various 

 directions, to form the body of the nest, which is not lined 

 with anything, and is just large enough to allow one bird 

 to sit, and the other to stand beside it : four eggs were 

 found in each." In India Mr. Hume describes the Spoon- 

 bill as breeding in large colonies, along with nearly allied 

 species, on tamarind- and peepul-trees — frequently in villages 

 — in the month of August ; and in Ceylon Col. Legge found 

 the species nesting also, on trees, in March. The eggs, 

 usually four in number, are rough in texture, of a dull 

 white, streaked and spotted with reddish-brown ; average 

 measurements, 2*5 by 1*8 in. 



The Spoonbill feeds on small reptiles and fishes, mol- 

 lusca, aquatic insects, shrimps, sand-hoppers, &c., many of 

 which it finds when feeding at pools on the sea-shore. 

 Wolley noticed that in feeding the beak was passed sideways 

 through the water, and kept open till something palatable 

 came within its grasp ; but the action by which the bird 

 eff'ected this was most singular, for instead of turning only its 

 head and neck, it turned its whole body from left to right 

 and from right to left, like the balance-wheel of a watch, its 

 neck stretched out, and its beak immersed perpendicularly 

 to about half its depth ; this semicircular action was kept 

 up with great vigour, and at a tolerably quick march (Zool. 

 p. 1213). Its flesh is dark in colour, but it is said to be of 

 good flavour, and without any fishy taste. In captivity it 

 is quiet and inoffensive, and, in common with the various 

 species to which it is allied, will feed on any sort of offiil. 



In the adult male l)ird the beak is black, except the 



VOL. IV. I I 



