PLATALEA AJAJA. l[\ 



breed iu Florida. Specimens of tliid species have l)een taken alon^ tlio Eastern Section of 

 the United States., .'jpfar north as New ILiiup.shiie, two being taken v.t Orlcar.s, Massaclni- 

 setts, during the first \Yeek in May, 1878, one of which is in the colltcrion of t!ie Ban»s 

 Brothers These, and all others which I ha\ e examined, were evidently strag'glers from 

 the Old World or from South America, but whether the Florida birds w^liich I found, be- 

 longed to this class, remains to be proved. I am under the impression, however, that I 

 have somewhere seen a specimen, .taken in Florida, which did not resemble the Texan form. 



CJENUS If. PLATALRA. TI1I<: SPOONBILLS. 



Gen. Cn. Bi//, but sHyhtly curved, moTf than lioice as lorn/ ax head, much fattimed , and widely expanded at Ih: round- 

 ed tip. Sterno-irachealis , absent. Webs betwee-t toes, laryp. . 



JMembcvs oi 0.\s genus are remarkable fir t'le singularly flattonsd bill. Tlie trachea i-i also peculiar, boing elevated, 

 and tlio lironc'ii.il txhr^ aro greatly elongated. Tlie intestines ara small and long. Scsss, similar. There is but onespe- 

 oies witliiu our limits. 



PLATALEA AJAJA. 



Roseate Spooubill. 



Plalaka ajaja Linn., Syst. \nt., T; ITfifi, 231. 



DKSCRll'TION. , 



Sp. Cn. Form, robust. Size, large. T<ingue, very short, only '25 long, triangular iu form, with t!:e tip pointed. 

 Sternum, stout. Outer marginal indentations, equal in depth to inner. 



CoLoii. Adult. Rosy-red throughout, brightest lieneath, and much lighter on neck. Tuft of recurved feathers on 

 neck, band on »ving, and upper and lower tail coverts, rich caruiine. Patch on sideof nock, paleorauge. Tail, l.rownish- 

 orange, ro.sy at base. Head, naked, green in color, w'ith .space around eye and gular .sac, bright orange, while a line of 

 black extends from bill to occiput. Bill, bluish, mottled with dusky at ba.se. p^et, pinkish. Iris, deep carmine, 



Yuunij. Siluilar to the adult, but much paler, and lack the bright markings, while the tail is ro>y and the priniaries 

 are tipped with dusky; Iris and feet, brown. Bill, yellowi.sli, brown at ba.se. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Known from all others by the spoon-like bill, ami rosy colors as described. Distributed, as a constant resident, in Flor- 

 ida. Rare in summer, as far north as the Carolinas. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from Florida. Length, 21)-3.');. stretch, 51-50; wing, M-50; tail, 475; bill, 6;^5; tar- 

 sus, 3'50. Longest sijecimen, 3J'7.'); greatest extent of wing, 5:!-0;l; longostwing, 15-0,): tail, 5 OH; bill, 7-00; taraus, 4'00, 

 Shortest specimen, 28'00; smallest extent of wing, 48-00; shortest wing, 14-00; tail, 4 'SO; bill, 5-75; tarsus, S'OO. 



DRSCRIPTION OF NESTS AND E(iCiS. 

 Nest.s. placed in trees, composed of sticks loosely arranged. Et/i/s, two or three in number. o\a! in fm-m, ashy-white 

 in culor, spotted and blotched, rather .sparcely, with pale reddish-brown. Dimensions from l-7(is2'5li to )75x2-60. 



I1.\BITS. 

 When I first visited Florida, I was quite surprised to hear the inhabitants speak of the 

 Pink Curlews as being very common, and I naturally supposed that the Scarlet Ibis was 

 the species they had in mind; but upon turlher inquiries, I found that this appellation 

 was applied to the Roseate Spoonbills, and learned that the Scarlet Ibis v,as cr.tiivly un- 

 known in the State. Years ago, the Roseate Spoonbills were found throughout Florida, 

 but as their feathers have long been valuable for ornaments, the birds hiive been extermi- 

 nated or driven away from the Northern, Eastern, and Middle Sections, and nov; are found 

 in numbers, only on the Western coast, even being rare on the Keys. The Spoonbills are 

 not unlike the White Ibis in general habits, but dilfer from this species in breeding in the 

 interior. They may be seen feeding on the muddy flats of the coast, in spring and winter, 

 but late in summer and in autumn, they wander more, at which time they aro found about 

 the lakes in the interior of the State. These handsome birds are excccdirigiy 3"'!'''.^ful in 



