142 PLATALEA AJAJA. 



small fish,* or the eggs of thorn, and of water insects, 

 which they search after, by plunglBg in the hill and 

 part of the head; from time to time trampling with 

 their feet to muddy the water, that their prey may be 

 raised from the bottom. In feeding, they are said to twist 

 the neck in such a manner, that the ir t per part of the 

 bill is applied to the ground ;-f- during this, one of them 

 is said to stand sentinel, and the moment he sounds the 

 alarm, the whole flock take wing. This bird, when at 

 rest, stands on one leg, the other being drawn up close 

 to the body, with the head placed under the wing on 

 that side of the body it stands on. 



" The flesh of these birds is esteemed pretty good 

 meat, and the young thought, by some, equal to that of 

 a partridge; J but the greatest dainty is the tongue, 

 which was esteemed by the ancients an exquisite 

 morsel. They are sometimes caught young, and brought 

 up tame ; but are ever impatient of cold, and in this 

 state will seldom live a great while, gradually losing 

 their colour, flesh, and appetite ; and dying for want 

 of that food, which, in a state of nature at large, they 

 were abundantly supplied with." 



GENUS LX PLATALEA. 



245. FLATALEA AJAJA. LINXJEUS AND WILSON. 



ROSEATE SPOONBILL. 

 WILSON, PLATE LXIII. FIO. I. EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 



THIS stately and elegant bird inhabits the sea shores 

 of America, from Brazil to Georgia. It also appears to 

 wander up the Mississippi sometimes in summer, the 

 present specimen having been sent me from the neigh- 



* Small shell fish GESNER. f LINNJEUS, Biu 



\ Commonly fat, and accounted delicate DAVIES'S Hist, of 



Barbadoes, p. 88. The inhabitants of Provence always throw 

 away the flesh, as it tastes fishy, and only make use of the l\ 

 as ornaments to other birds at particular enter tuiimients. DILLON'S 

 Travels, p. .'>74. 

 See Pliny, IX, cap. 48. 



