100 ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — IIERODIONES. 



several other kinds of Ijirds, were breeding there ; and not uufrequently nests of all 

 these different species were placed within a few feet of one another ; but in general 

 the different species preferred to form, each for itself, a little nesting group of ten 

 or fifteen pairs. The reeds grew naturally to a height of about six feet above the 

 surface of the water ; but they were either beaten down to form a support for the 

 nests, or else dead and partly floating stalks of the previous year were used for that 

 purpose. It was impossible to form any estimate of the number of this species nest- 

 ing there. As he approached the spot many were seen about the edges of the lagoon, 

 or flying to and from more distant feeding-grounds. On firing a gun a perfect mass 

 of birds arose, with a noise like thunder, from the entire bed of reeds, but they soon 

 settled down again. 



Both the nests and the eggs of this Ibis were rpiite unlike those of any of the 

 Herons, and could be distinguished at a glance. The nests were made of broken bits 

 of dead tules, supported by and attached to broken and upright stalks of living ones. 

 They were well and compactly built, and were usually distinctly cupped, and quite 

 unlike the clumsy ])latfornis of the Herons. Early in May in the following year 

 Dr. Merrill revisited this heronry ; but there were no nests and but few birds to be 

 seen : they had evidently moved to some other locality, where there were similar 

 beds of reeds ; but he was prevented by sickness from making any farther investi- 

 gations. 



The eggs were found to be nearly always three in number, and at the time of his 

 visit — the middle of May — were far advanced in incubation. Many of the nests 

 contained young of all sizes. By a careful measurement of fifty examples. Dr. Merrill 

 ascertained the average size of the egg of this species to be 1.95 by 1.35, the extremes 

 being 2.20 by 1.49, and 1.73 by 1.29. These eggs are decidedly pointed at the 

 smaller end, and are of a deep bluish-green color. 



Family PLATALEID^E. — The Spooxbills. 



Platakidw, Box.\P. 1849 ; Consp. II. 1855, 146. 



Chae. Large-sized Ibis-like birds, with the bill greatly flattened and expanded 

 terminally. Bill deep through the base (the culmen ascending), but immediately 

 flattened ; narrowest across the middle portion, the end widely expanded, the tip 

 rounded and decurved. Nostrils superior, longitudinal, without surrounding or 

 overhanging membrane ; nasal fossa? prolonged forward in a narrow, continuous 

 groove to the extreme tip of the bill (as in the Ibises), its course nearly (or in 

 some genera quite) parallel with the lateral outline of the maxilla; approximate 

 surfaces of maxilla and mandible with one or two rows of more or less prominent 

 tootli-like papLllce along each side. Tarsus longer than middle toe, and with small 

 longitudinal hexagonal scales in front ; outer toe decidedly longer than inner, its 

 claw reaching to tire base of the middle claw; hallux nearly incumbent, about 

 equal to the basal phalanx of the inner toe ; bare portion of tibia longer than outer 

 toe ; web between inner and middle toes well developed. Wings ample, reaching 

 about to the end of the tail, the primaries a little longer than the tertials. Tail 

 short, even, of twelve stiff, broad, round-ended feathers. 



