THE SPOONBILL. 325 
The Glossy Ibis (2. fadcinellus), called by Herodotus, the Black 
Ibis, has black plumage, variegated with green on the upper part. 
It inhabits the north of Africa and the south of Europe. Like the 
first-mentioned bird, it was held sacred by the Egyptians. 
The Scarlet Ibis (7. ruder) is indigenous to America, and is found 
principally in Guiana, where it associates in flocks at the mouths of 
the rivers. Its plumage is of a beautiful vermilion colour, tipped 
with black at the ends of the wings. It does not, however, obtain 
this brilliant dress till about two years old. The young are very 
readily tamed, and their flesh is well-tasted. 
CULTRIROSTRES. 
The Cu/trirostres (or knife-shaped bill) have a long, strong, and 
sharp-edged bill. ‘They are generally provided with stout tarsi, and 
frequent the edges of marshes and banks of rivers. Many of them 
enjoy the faculty of being able to stand on one leg for hours together. 
This singular attitude is rendered possible by means of a curious 
mechanism, which was discovered by Duméril. ‘The tibia, in its 
junction with the femur, presents a protuberant knot, which forcibly 
stiffens the ligaments of the knee, forming a kind otf catch, similar to 
the spring of a knife. 
The principal species of this family are—the Spoonbill, Stork, 
Argala, Jabiru, Boatbills, Heron, Crane, Trumpeter, and the Cariama. 
The Spoonbill (P7etalea) is remarkable for the singular form of 
its bill, which is about four times the length of the head, straight, and 
flexible ; the upper mandible, about an inch and a quarter broad at 
the base, gradually narrowing to three-quarters of an inch, and again 
increases to two inches at the point, causing a resemblance to a 
spoon, from which it takes its name. It uses this bill for dipping 
into the mud and water, whence it extracts worms and small fish, 
on which it principally feeds. It also eats water-insects, which it 
catches by placing its bill half open on the surface of the water, per- 
mitting them thus to float on to the lower mandible. It lives in small 
companies, and frequents the sea-shore. It is easily tamed. 
There are two species of them: the White Spoonbill (P. /eucorodia, 
Fig. 127), which has a tuft on the back of its neck, and is found in 
most parts of Europe—it is, however, seldom met with in France, 
and then only in the south; and the Rose-coloured Spoonbill, a 
native of South America, the plumage of which possesses the most 
beautiful tints. 
The Stork (Czvnia) has a long and straight bill, wide at the 
