PLATALEA LEUCORODIA 181 



Family PLATALEID^. 



PLATALEA LEUCORODIA, LiunEeus. 



SPOONBILL. 



Platalea leucorodia, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 231 (1766) ; Sharpe, Cat. 

 Birds Brit. Mus. xxvi, p. 41; Mallierbe, Cat. Eais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 20 

 (1846); Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 149 (1867) ; Koenig, J. f. 0. 

 1888, p. 272 ; id.J.f. 0. 1893, p. 86; Erlangcr, J.f. 0. 1900, p. 42. 



DescrijHion. — Adult male, wiuter, from Bizerta, North Tunisia. 



Entire plumage pure white, except the lower part of the fore-neck, which 

 is yellowish-buff, and the occipital plumes, which are slightly tinged with 

 cream-colour. 



Iris red ; bill yellow at the tip, otherwise black barred with yellow ; feet 

 black ; bare space on the throat orange-yellow. 



Total length 32 inches, wing 15'50, culmen 7 75, tarsus 5-50. 



Adult female similar to the male. 



The Spoonbill is not uncommon in Tunisia, and possibly nests 

 in limited numbers in some parts of the Eegency, having been met 

 with, according to Blanc, on the south coast in summer time. It is, 

 however, more abundant in winter and during the periods of migra- 

 tion, and in some localities is said to be particularly numerous in 

 autumn. Baron v. Erlanger found it so in the month of November 

 on the small island of Knais, a little to the south of Sfax, where he 

 met with the species in large numbers, and on one occasion secured 

 four birds out of a flock with one shot (J. f. 0. 1900, p. 42). 



On the Lake of Tunis the species may often be observed, and all 

 along the coast of the Eegency it is to be met with in. greater or 

 lesser numbers. 



Loche states that the Spoonbill is fairly connnon in Algeria and 

 to be found at all seasons, but he never succeeded in finding its nest. 

 In Marooco it is not uncommon on passage, and appears also to occur 

 in the Azores, the Canaries and Madeira. 



The Spoonbill frequents the sea-shore, the borders of lakes, 

 sand-banks and open marshes near the sea, and is seldom found on 

 inland waters or among aquatic vegetation, except during the 

 breeding-season. 



In many respects it resembles the White Stork, particularly in 



