640 



of jftatttral 



in the surrounding fluid. As soon, there- 

 fore, as a gernmule is sufficiently mature, it 

 becomes detached from the nidus where it 

 was formed, and whirled along by the is- 

 suing streams which are expelled through 

 the fecal orifices of the parent, it escapes 

 into the water around. Instead, however, 

 of falling to the bottom, as so apparently 

 helpless a particle of jelly might be expected 

 to do, the ceaseless vibration of the cilia 

 upon its surface propels it rapidly along, 

 until, being .removed to a considerable dis- 

 tance from its original, it attaches itself to a 

 proper object, and, losing the locomotive 

 cilia which it at first possessed, it becomes 

 fixed and motionless, and developes within 

 its substance the skeleton peculiar to its 

 species, exhibiting by degrees the form of 

 the individual from which it sprung." The 

 uses to which the Sponges of commerce are 

 applied are various arid well known. They 

 are usually prepared before they come to 

 the market, by being beaten and soaked in 

 dilute muriatic acid, with a view to bleach 

 them, and to dissolve any adherent portions 

 of carbonated lime. Dr. George Johnston, 

 of Berwick-upon-Tweed, has published a 

 work on the British Sponges, which is illus- 

 trated with engraved figures of all the spe- 

 cies. This admirable book is indispensably 

 necessary to any one who would study the 

 subject of this interesting and much disputed 

 class of animals. 



SPONGE-CRAB. [See DROMIA.] 



SPOONBILL. (Platalea.) A genus of 

 Grallatorial birds, of which the two best 

 known species are the White and the Ro- 

 seate Spooribill ; the former appearing to be 

 a general inhabitant of the Old Continent, 

 and the latter of the New. In their general 

 structure and habits they are allied to the 

 Storks and Herons ; but their beak, from 

 which their name is derived, is long, flat, 

 and broad throughout its length,' widening 

 and flattening more particularly at the end, 

 so as to form a round spatula-like disc. 



The WHITE SPOONBILL (P/ataZea leuco- 

 rodia) is about two feet six inches in length ; 

 its beak is eight inches and a half, and dusky, 

 with several undulated transverse ridges of 

 black, and the tip of an orange-yellow. The 

 feathers at the back of the head form a beau- 

 tiful crest, which is of a yellowish colour. 

 The whole of the plumage is of a pure white, 

 except the lower part of the neck, which is 

 yellowish buff : the naked space round the 

 eyes and on the throat pale yellow ; the 

 base of the latter part slightly tinged with 

 rufous. The Spoonbill frequents the borders 

 of rivers and sea-coasts, migrating with the 

 Herons and Storks ; but in England it is 

 now scarcely ever seen. The nest is placed 

 on a high tree near the sea-side, where the 

 female lays three or four white eggs, gene- 

 rally marked with a few pale red spots : 

 during breeding-time this bird is very cla- 

 morous. It feeds upon small fish, frogs, 

 snails, and aquatic insects : the flesh is high- 

 coloured when dressed, and is said to have 

 the flavour of a goose. The truchea is cu- 

 riously formed, having a double flexure, like 



WHI1E SPOCNfllLL. 

 (PtATALEA LEDCORODI&.) 



the figure 8, but the convolutions do not 

 cross each other, the points of contact being 

 united by a fine membrane. 



The ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Platalea Aja- 

 ja) is a most elegant species, two feet three 

 inches in length : the beak, six inches in 

 length, and marked all round with a groove 

 parallel to the margin, is of a grayish white, 

 and slightly transparent, showing the ramifi- 

 cations of its blood-vessels : the forehead and 

 throat are naked, and whitish. The plumage 

 is of a fine rose-colour, deepest on the wings ; 

 the tail coverts crimson : the legs gray ; the 

 claws dusky. It inhabits Guiana, Mexico, 

 and other parts of America ; and its habits 

 are very similar to those of the white species. 



Mr. Edwards, in his ' Voyage up the Ama- 

 zon,' alludes to this species as being very 

 abundant in that wildly magnificent region, 

 and as excelling (with the scarlet ibis, which 

 he names with it) all the water-birds in gor- 

 geousness and delicate colouring. " The 

 roseate Spoonbills," he adds," do not migrate, 

 as do the ibises, being quite common upon 

 the whole coast, and sometimes being seen 

 far up the Amazon in summer. The delicate 

 roseate of their general colouring, with the 

 rich lustrous carmine of their shoulders and 

 breast-tufts, as well as the singular formation 

 of their bills, render them objects of great 

 interest as well as beauty. They are seen 

 fishing for shrimps and other small matters 

 along the edges of the water, or in the mud 

 left exposed by the ebbing tide, and, as they 

 eat, grind the food in their mandibles moved 

 laterally. As well as the ibis, they are ex- 

 ceedingly shy at every season except when 

 breeding. They breed in the same places 

 with the scarlet ibises and wood ibises, and 

 the nests of the three resemble each other 

 in every respect but in size. The eggs of 

 the Spoonbill are from three to four, large, 

 white, and much spotted with brown." 



SPRAT. (Clupea sprattus.) This fish is 

 so much allied to the Herring in all points 



