242 



ki:y to thp: water birds of Florida. 



ORDER HERODIONES. 



Herons, Storks, Ibises, Etc. 



Suborder I bides. 



Spoonbills and Ibises. 



Family PLATALEID.E. Spoonbills. 



Genus AJAJA Reich. 



AJAJA AJAJA {Limi). 

 Roseate Spoonbill. 



Back and wings a delicate rose white ; under parts showing rose color ; bare skin of the liead 

 greenish and yellow; bill widened at the tip, somewhat spoon-shaped but flat, tinted with green- 

 ish and yellowish : legs dull red. Very old birds have the lesser wing coverts and upper tail 

 coverts brilliant carmine red. 



The immature bird has general plumage pale pinkish white with no red on the lesser wing 

 coverts. 



Length, 31 ; Wing, 15; Tarsus, 4.10; Bill, 6.30. 



