6&6 U. S&S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
Family PLATALEIDAE. 
Cu.—Bill completely depressed, very broad, and widening at the rounded tip. 
No more detailed description is needed to characterize the spoon-bills, of which seven or 
eight species are described by authors. 
PLATALEA, ‘L. 
Platalea, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1735. Type Platalea leucorodia. (Gray.) 
Cu.—Bill very broad, excessively depressed, and spatulate or greatly widened to the rounded tip; the mandibles in close 
apposition ; the edges not lamellar. Head bald in the adult American species. Legs rather shorter than in typical herons ; tibia 
and tarsi covered throughout with small hexagonal scales ; the former bare for nearly one-half. Toes webbed at the base ; the 
outer lorger than the inner ; the middle claw not pectinated. Middle toe nearly as long as the tarsus-; hind toe rather long. 
Comparative measurements. 
| | | 
Catal. Species. Locality. Age. | Length. Wing. | Tail. lmarsus, Middle Itsclaw.| Bil | Along | Specimen 
No. | | toe. above. | gape. | measured. 
| Paes | | 
2734 | Platalea ajaja.s....seeeee PIOrida co ceee cecee-ceceeces leweees 32.50 15.00 | 4.70 | 3.96 | 3.64 0,56 6.60 | 6.15 Skin ...... 
4273 | weve. do. | Cacasieu Pass, La......... (6) eho 0059 14,00 | 5.26 4,28 | 3.76 | 0.55 | 7.00 | 6.60 Skinkieerite 
PLATALEA AJAJA, Linn. 
Rosy Spoon-bill. 
Platalea ajaja, Linn. J, 1766, 231.—Gne x, I, 614.—Wison, Am. Orn. VII, 1813, 123 ; pl. Ixii, (two years old.)— 
Bon. Obs. 1825, No. 185.—Is. Conspectus, IJ, 1855, 146.—Nurraut, Man. II, 1834, 79—Wacter, 
Isis, 1831, 530.—Aup. Orn. Biog. 1V, 1838, 188, pl. 131.—Is. Syn.—lIs. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 72 ; 
pl. 362.—Gunp.acn, Cab, Jour. 1V, 1856, 347. 
Platea incarnata, Stoan, Hist. Jam. 1, 316. 
Roseate spoon-bill, LarHam. 
Adult.—Head all round and nape naked. General color rosy red; paler anteriorly, and nearly white on the neck. Lesser 
wing coverts, with upper and lower tail coverts and lower part of throat, intense carmine, Tail feathers brownish ochre yellow. 
Naked skin of head yellowish green. Bill mostly greenish blue in life. 
Younger with the head feathered, except around the base of the bill, and around and a little behind the eye. Similar in color, 
but the carmine wanting and the tail rosy. 
Length, 30 inches ; wing, 15; tarsus, 4; bill above, 7. 
Hab.—South Atlantic and Gulf States. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. Locality. When col- Whence obtained. Collected by— 
No. 7 lected. 
—-- del) Wr GE) ope com eche Seen nEbeeS pESceeeEes Shs. Baird onc aceee eee eae J. J. Audubon .e--]eeo = see 
4273 ‘| Calcasieu pass, La -....-------- 1854 Gis Wir ermanmy see eee terta re ies a ates tee es le te ea ale le lo 
9499 | Lower Rio Grande, Tex--------- 1853 Major HMoryye sere esas ose ACiSchottcee seceece ese eae 
9498 | Rio Grande, Tex .......+-...-- TUES. tl eras Co a a ae a PG ye she donosinsaeoosasesS 
Sn I a a arr 
