THE SPOON-BILLS. 107 



covered with plumes, whereas in the American Spoon-bill, 

 Ajaja ajaja, the head is entirely bare and the orifice of the ear 

 exposed. 



Flatibis, which is confined to Australia, has no crest, but 

 has ornamental breeding-plumes on the fore-neck, while the 

 nostrils are differently placed to those of Platalea, which has a 

 crest, but no ornamental feathers on the fore-ncc'\. 



THE TRUE SPOON-BILLS. GENUS PLATALEA. 



Platalea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 231 (1766). 



Type, P. leucerodia, Linn. 



A bare head and the auricular orifice covered with plumes, 

 are the main characters of this genus, but the position of the 

 nostrils is also peculiar, the nasal opening being an elongated 

 oval, situated in a narrow depression, which loses itself about 

 the commencement of the narrowest part of the bill, and is 

 continued in a narrow sub-marginal line, which runs to the tip 

 of the bill. In the breeding-plumage a full crest is developed, 

 but there are no ornamental plumes on the fore-neck or breast. 



Four species of Spoon-bill are known, all peculiar to the Old 

 World. Our P. leucerodia of Europe is replaced in Australia 

 and the Moluccas by P. regia and in Eastern Asia by P. 

 minor, while in Africa a totally distinct species, P. alba, takes 

 the place of the black-billed forms. P. alba has a red bill and 

 legs, and is found in Africa and Madagascar. 



I. THE SPOON-BILL. PLATALEA LEUCERODIA. 



Platalea leucorodia, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 231 (1766); Macg. 

 Brit. B. iv. p. 503 (1852); B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 113 

 (1883); Seebohm, Br. B. ii. p. 514 (1884); Saunders, ed. 

 Yarr. Brit. B. iv. p. 237 (1884) ; id. Man. Br. B. p. 381 

 (1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B. part. xii. (1890). 



Platea kucorodia, Dresser, B. Eur. vi. p. 319, pi. 407 (1873). 



Platalea leucerodia, Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 44. 



(Plate LXXIL) 

 Adult Male. Pure white above and below, including the quills 



