152 



BIIUIS or BUITISH GUIANA. 



Family PLATALEID^. 



The members of this family are represented in all the continents 

 of the World ; one genus with one species being restricted to 

 America. They are easily distinguished from all other l)irds by 

 their large spatulate bills. 



Clenus AJAIA. Reichenb. 

 Ajaia Eeichenbach, Nat. Syst. Vogel, p. xvi. 1852. Type A. ctjaja (Linn.). 

 This genus is characterized by its Ijare head and rosy plumage. 



e^.y-M& 



Fig. 42. - — To show the bare liead and shape of the liill. 



OG. Ajaia ajaja. 

 Roseate Spoonbill. 



Ajaia ajaja (Linn.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 140, 1758 ("Habitat in America 



australi ") ; Bra bourn e t^- Chubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 48, no. 457, 1912. 

 PJatalea ajaja Cab. in Fclicmb. Eels. Guian. iii. p. 755, 1848; Brown, 



Canoe and Camp Life, p. 26*5, 1876 (Takutu Kiver), p. 271 



(Cotinga liiver) ; Salvin, Ibis, 1886, p. 172. 

 Ajaja ajaja Sbarpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. \). 52, 1898 (Savana of 



British Guiana). 



Immature. General colour white, with a })ink tinge on the 

 wings, scapulars, tail, flanks, axillaries, under surface of the 

 wings, and, very slightly, on the abdomen ; outer webs and tips of 

 the bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and primary-quills }iale brown. 



