184 WHITE SPOON-BILL. 



the borders of rivers, searching for food. This, which 

 consists principally of small fish, and aquatic insects and 

 worms, they catch by plunging their bill into the water, 

 and from time to time trampling the bottom with their 

 feet, in order to raise up their prey. On these occasions, 

 it is said that they always station one of their party as a 

 sentinel, to give notice of the approach of danger. If 

 alarmed, the watchful bird screams, with a voice as loud 

 as a trumpet, and instantly the whole flock are on wing. 

 They lay their eggs, two in number, in a hollow place, 

 at the top of a small hillock, and, in sitting upon them, 

 they extend their legs down the sides of the hillock, and 

 do not fold them under their body like other birds. By 

 the ancient Romans, Flamingoes were not unfrequently 

 used in their grand sacrifices and sumptuous entertain- 

 ments. 



Their plumage is of a beautiful scarlet colour, except 

 the quill- feathers of the wings, which are black. 



35. SPOON-BILL TRIBE. 



These birds are remarkable on account of their bill, 

 which is long, thin, dilated at the tip, and flat. There are 

 only three species. 



White Spoon-bill. It is from the singular form of its 

 beak that this bird has its name. The White Spoon-bill 

 is principally found on the coast of Africa, though in- 

 stances have occurred of its occasionally migrating to our 

 shores. A flock of Spoon-bills alighted in the marshes 

 near Yarmouth, in Norfolk, in April, 1774 ; and they 

 were formerly known to breed in several parts of Europe, 

 but they are now become extremely scarce. They feed on 

 plants of various kinds, particularly those which grow in 



