THE WHITE SPOONBILL. 27 



mon with all the nearly related birds it is migratory 

 in its habits, quitting the north of Europe, and more 

 particularly Holland, which is its favourite summer 

 resort, about November, and returning about April. 

 In the winter it takes up its quarters in various parts 

 of Africa, extending southwards even to the Cape of 

 Good Hope. It is rarely met with in inland countries 

 except on the banks of the larger rivers ; but is by no 

 means uncommon during the season on the coasts of 

 the great extent of country which it embraces in its 

 visits. In England it is now but an occasional visiter. 

 Its size is less than that of the Wild Goose, its entire 

 length from the extremity of the beak to the tip of 

 the tail not exceeding two feet six or eight inches. Of 

 this the bill alone measures six or seven inches, and 

 its breadth at the widest part is not less than an inch 

 and a half. The expanse of its wings is about four 

 feet. The entire plumage is of a clear white, with the 

 exception of a tawny yellowish spot on the breast of 

 the adult, extending upwards on either side in the 

 form of a narrow stripe, the two branches uniting on 

 the back. The long narrow feathers which form the 

 crest on the top of the head fall gracefully backwards. 

 A pale yellow tinge distinguishes the circumference of 

 the eyes and the throat, and is again visible at the 

 extremity of the bill, the remainder of which is of a 

 dull black, with a bluish shade in the lateral grooves. 

 The colour of the legs and feet is perfectly black ; and 

 the irides are of a bright orange red. The females are 

 smaller than the males, but differ in no other external 

 character. In the young the quills of the wing-feathers 

 are black, the parts which are without feathers are of 

 a dirty white, and the crest and spot on the breast are 

 entirely wanting. 



The Spoonbills usually frequent wooded marshes 



