THE SPOONBILL. 325 



The Glossy Ibis (7. falcindlus\ called by Herodotus, the Black 

 Ibis, has black plumage, variegated with green on the upper part. 

 It inhabits the north of Africa and the south of Europe. Like the 

 first-mentioned bird, it was held sacred by the Egyptians. 



The Scarlet Ibis (/. ruber} is indigenous to America, and is found 

 principally in Guiana, where it associates in flocks at the mouths of 

 the rivers. Its plumage is of a beautiful vermilion colour, tipped 

 with black at the ends of the wings. It does not, however, obtain 

 this brilliant dress till about two years old. The young are very 

 readily tamed, and their flesh is well-tasted. 



CULTRIROSTRES. 



The Cultrirostres (or knife-shaped bill) have a long, strong, and 

 sharp-edged bill. They are generally provided with stout tarsi, and 

 frequent'the edges of marshes and banks of rivers. Many of them 

 enjoy the faculty of being able to stand on one leg for hours together. 

 This singular attitude is rendered possible by means of a curious 

 mechanism, which was discovered by Dumeril. The tibia, in its 

 junction with the femur, presents a protuberant knot, which forcibly 

 stiffens the ligaments of the knee, forming a kind ot catch, similar to 

 the spring of a knife. 



The principal species of this family are the Spoonbill, Stork, 

 Argala, Jabiru, Boatbills, Heron, Crane, Trumpeter, and the Cariama. 



The Spoonbill (Platalea) is remarkable for the singular form of 

 its bill, which is about four times the length of the head, straight, and 

 flexible ; the upper mandible, about an inch and a quarter broad at 

 the base, gradually narrowing to three-quarters of an inch, and again 

 increasing to two inches at the point, causing a resemblance to a 

 spoon, from which it takes its name. It uses this bill for dipping 

 into the mud and water, whence it extracts worms and small fish, 

 on which it principally feeds. It also eats water-insects, which it 

 catches by placing its bill half open on the surface of the water, per- 

 mitting them thus to float on to the lower mandible. It lives in small 

 companies, and frequents the sea-shore. It is easily tamed. 



There are two species of them : the White Spoonbill (P. lencorodia, 

 Fig. 127), which has a tuft on the back of its neck, and is found in 

 most parts of Europe it is, however, seldom met with in France, 

 and then only in the south; and the Rose-coloured Spoonbill, a 

 native of South America, the plumage of which possesses the most 

 beautiful tints. 



The Stork (Ciconid] has a long and straight bill, wide at the 



