THE SPOONBILL. 13 



orange band at the base of the neck. It is stated, 

 doubtlessly correctly, and after verification by dissection, 

 that it is the cock which, following the general rule, carries 

 these adornments in the greatest degree, but I can only 

 say that if this be so, then of the two birds so long under 

 my observation it was the cock which performed the duties 

 of the mother. This, of course, would not be peculiar 

 in itself, but when we find these duties of the sexes 

 reversed the plumage has usually undergone a like change, 

 the hen then carrying the finest dress. But here there 

 was little difference in the crests, while the band of 

 orange was certainly brighter and better defined in 

 the bird I have referred to as " mother." Thus these 

 birds were a contradiction to either rule, and though the 

 differences were slight, and may possibly have been due to 

 individual peculiarities, they are by reason of their 

 variance with rule worthy of record. Fortunately they 

 may even be noticed in these monochrome reproductions ; 

 the left-hand bird being in each case the quasi cock, 

 while that on the right or standing alone is the apparent 

 hen. 



About this time the cock caught sight of the lens 

 staring at him, and was on the point of taking flight — 

 more than once he bent his legs and raised his wings 

 preparatory to springing — but his wife's unconcern 

 somewhat reassured him, and instead he walked to the 

 near edge of the nest, and leaning forward examined the 

 apparatus minutely. Satisfied that there was no imme- 

 diate danger, he stepped slowly back to the far side, 

 and kept gravely turning his solemn eye first on the 

 camera and then on his wife, as much as to say, " Madam, 

 what is this ? " and soon after took his departure. Im- 

 mediately before going and while standing on the nest- 

 edge he made a peculiar clappering sound by rattling his 

 mandibles together. Apparently this was a form of 

 endearment, for she, raising her crest, always a sign of 

 great emotion, responded in a like manner, gently 



