Birds of Indiana. 643 



to resemble a blast from a French horn." (Kidgway, Birds of Illinois, 

 p. 107.) 



The extreme length of the trachea (windpipe) and its peculiar fold- 

 ings attract the attention of those who attempt the dissection of one of 

 these swans. 



E. Order HERODIONES. Herons, Storks, 

 Ibises, Etc. 



Suborder IBIDES. Spoonbills and Ibises. 



XL Family PLATALEID^E. Spoonbills. 

 Characters same as family. A.iaja. 29 



29. (tenus AJAJA Reich. 

 a^. Plumage cliielly white; back and wings rose pink. A. ajaja (Linn.). 60 



60. (183). Ajaja ajaja (Linn.). 



Roseate Spoonbill. 



Adult. — Head and throat bare; neck, back and breast, white; tail, 

 orange-buif, the shafts deep pink; rest of plumage, pale rose pink; 

 lesser wing coverts, upper and undertail coverts, carmine. Immature. — 

 Similar, but without carmine on wing and tail coverts, and tail pink- 

 ish. Young. — Similar; head and throat feathered; tail and carmine- 

 colored parts pink. 



Length, about 28.00-35.00; wing, 14.10-15.30; bill, 6.20-7.15; great- 

 est width of bill, 2.00-2.20; tarsus, 3.75-4.65. 



Eange. — America, from Patagonia to Illinois and Indiana; most 

 numerous in the tropics. Breeds in Louisiana and Florida, and south. 



Nest, on trees or in marshes, in tropics, of sticks. Eggs, 3-4, 

 rarely 7; white or buffy white; 2.57 by 1.73. 



Accidental visitor. 



Mr. E. J. Chansler writes me that he is informed by Mr. H. M. 

 Smith that in the spring of 1856 Mr. H. Sones shot two of these 

 beautiful birds in a swampy place a few miles east of Vincennes on the 

 line of the B. & 0: S.-W. E. R. Mr. Sones was collecting for some 

 eastern or foreign institution, and was living with Mr. Smith when 

 he obtained these specimens. If they are in existence it would be in- 

 teresting to know where they are. Prof. B. W. Evermann, from inves- 

 tigations he has made, is satisfied that some of these birds were seen 

 and one killed near Terre Haute several years ago. A Roseate Spoon- 



