102 



ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 



The above characters, in addition to those previously Riven, are sufficient to define this well- 

 marked genus. Only one sjiecies is known, the A. rosea, whose distribution is coextensive with 

 tropical and sub-tropical America. 



A, rosea. 



Ajaja rosea. 



THE ROSY SPOONBILL. 



Platca rosea, Briss. Oru. V. 17C0, 35G, pi. SO (adult). 



Platalca ajaja, LiNN. S. N. ed. 10, 1758, 140, no. 2 (ex Sloane, Jam. II. 316 ; Marcgr. Ray) ; ed. 

 12, I. 1766, 231, no. 2 (based on Platea rosea, Buiss. V. 356, t. 30. — P. incarnata, Sloane, 

 Jam. II. 316. — P. limsiliensis, Ajaja dicta, Marcgi-. Bras. 204).— WiLS. Am. Om. VII. 1813, 

 123, pi. 62 (young, third year). — Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 79. — Aud. Orn. Biog. IV. 1838, 188, 

 131 ; Synop. 1839, — ; Birds Am. VI. 1843, 72. pi. 362 (adult). — Cass, in Baird's B. N. Am. 

 1858, 686. — Baird, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 501. — Coues, Key, 1872, — ; Check List, 1873, 

 no. 448. 



Plaica mexicana (" Willouohby "), Ga.mb. Jour. Philad. Acad. I. 1849, 222 ("San Francisco"). 



Roseate Spoonbill, Pexn. Arct. Zool. II. 1785, 440, no. 338. 



Ajaja rosea, Reich. "Nat. Syst. 16." — Rmow. Xoui. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 505. — Coues, Check 

 List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 653. 



Hab, The whole of tropical and subtropical America, including the West Indies ; south to 

 the Falkland Islands, Patagonia, and Chili, north to the Southern United States.^ 



' The present northern limit to its range in the United Statics is not known with precision. We have 

 reliable informatitjn of its abundance less than twenty years since in the "American Bottoms," in Illinois, 

 below St. Louis ; but whether it now occm-s there at all, we do not know. Its former occurrence on the 

 coast of California as far north as San Francisco, is asserted by Gambei, (Jour. Phil. Ac. I. 1849, p. 222). 



