50 PLATALEIDAi 
gives a most interesting reswmé on the former breeding of 
the Spoonbill in England. He writes: “The Calendar of 
Patent Rolls of Edw. I. shews (p. 546) the issue in 1300 
of a commission to enquire who carried off the eyries of 
these birds (‘‘ poploruwm’’) at several places in Norfolk, and 
Mr. Harting (Zool. 1886, pp. 81 et seqq.) cites a case from 
the ‘* Year-Book,” of 14 Hen VIM (1523), wheremm te 
Bishop of London (Cuthbert Tunstall) maintained an action 
of trespass against a tenant at Fulham for taking Herons 
and ‘‘ Shovelars’’ that made their nests on the trees there, 
and has also printed (Zool. 1877, p. 425) a document 
shewing that ‘‘ Shovelers’”’ bred in certain woods in west 
Sussex in 1570. In George Owen’s Description of Pem- 
brokeshire, written in 1602 (ed. 1892, p. 131), the ‘‘ Shovler ” 
was stated to breed ‘“‘on highe trees” in that county, and 
nearly sixty years later (circa 1662) Sir Thomas Browne, 
in his Account of Birds found in Norfolk (Works, ed. 
Wilkin, iv, pp. 315, 316), stated of the ‘‘ Platea or Shoue- 
lard”’ that it formerly ‘‘ built in the Hernerie at Claxton 
and Reedham, now at Trimley in Suffolk.” This last 
seems to be the latest known proof of the breeding of the 
species in England; but that it was in the fullest sense 
of the word a “native” of England and Wales is thus 
incontestably shown.”’ 
Geographical distribution.—The Spoonbill breeds in 
many countries in the south and south-east of Hurope, 
as well as in Holland. In India it is a familiar nesting- 
species, and it is found in many other countries of Southern 
as well as Central Asia. It also breeds in North Africa and 
the adjoining Islands. On its vernal migration it seldom 
reaches north of the latitude of the British Isles. This 
species was first obtained in Heligoland on July 14th, 1892 
(Saunders). 
DESCRIPTIYE CHARACTERS. 
PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial_—Pure white, except a 
tinge of yellow on the front of the neck and head-plumes. 
Adult female nuptial.—Similar in plumage to the male, 
but the crest is shorter. 
Adult winter, male and female.—The head-plumes are 
absent. 
Immature, male and female.— Shafts and tips of pri- 
maries, black ; head-plumes, absent. 
