360 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [part iv. 



Family 114.— PLATALEID^. (6 Genera, 30 Species.) 



The Plataleidse, including the Spoonbills and Ibises, have 

 been classed either with the Herons or the Storks, but have 

 most affinity with the latter. Though not very numerous they 

 are found over the greater part of the globe, except the colder 

 zones and the Pacific Islands. The following is the distribu- 

 tion of the genera : — 



Platalea (6 sp.), all the warmer parts of the globe except the 

 Moluccas and Pacific Islands; Ihis (2 sp.), Temperate North 

 America and Tropical South America ; Falcinellus (2 sp.), 

 almost cosmopolitan ; Geronticus (19 sp.), all Tropical countries 

 and Temperate South America; Scopus (1 sp.). Tropical and 

 South Africa; Balmniceps (1 sp.), the Upper Nile. This last 

 genus the " Shoe-bird," or boat-billed heron, perhaps forms a 

 distinct family. 



Family 115.— CICONIID^. (5 Genera, 20 Species.) 



The Ciconiidae, or Storks, are mostly an Old World family, 

 only three species inhabiting the Neotropical, and one, the 

 Nearctic region. They are also absent from the islands of the 

 Pacific, the Antilles, and, with one exception, from Madagascar. 

 The genera are as follows : — 



Ciconia (6 sp.), ranges through the Palsearctic, Ethiopian and 



