128 SPOONBILL. 



long and without feathers half way, are black; toes, black, 

 and connected together by a small web extending as far as 

 the second joint of the outer, and the first joint of the inner 

 one; claws, black. The webs are hollowed out on their front 

 edge. 



The female is rather less than the male, but otherwise she 

 is of the same appearance, except that the crest is rather 

 shorter, and the gorget on the breast is paler in colour. 



In the young of nearly or quite the full growth, the biH 

 is half an inch shorter than in the old birds; it is of a dark 

 colour with a shade of yellowish red. Iris, at first whitish 

 grey, subsequently brown; the bare parts about the head are 

 paler than in the old bird; the occipital crest is wanting. 

 The dorsal plumes are also absent. 



