AJAIA. 153 



Total length GOO mm., length of bill 150, wing 316, tail 87, 

 tarsus 95. 



The bird described was collected on the Abary River in July 

 190G. 



Adult male. General colour above and below rosc-])ink ; a tuft 

 of feathers on the fore-neck, lesser upper wing-coverts, upper and 

 under tail-coverts bright crimson ; neck all round dull white. 

 " Irides red ; lores and orbits yellow-ochre ; bare part of head 

 from forehead to crown ])ale Naples-yellow ; occiput and below 

 ear sooty-black: around oridce of ear pale Naples-yellow ; skin 

 of chin and throat admixture of pale Naples-yellow and yellow- 

 ochre ; bill clear ashy, somewhat sooty between corrugalions at 

 base; legs dark crimson-lake, feet sooty-black"" (C. II. B. 

 Grant). 



Culmen 157 mm., wing 345, tail 95, tarsus 99, middle toe and 

 claw 89. 



Adult female. Similar to the adult male in colour. Wing 337. 



Breeding-season. Unknown in British Gruiana. 



Nest. '^ According to the natives, their nests are found on trees 

 and in the reeds ^■' (ScJiomhurgk). 



Bggs. Undescril)ed from British Guiana. 



Range in Britislt Guiana. Abary Kiver (McConnell collection); 

 Takutu River, Cotinga River {Broioji); Great Savannas, Rupununi 

 River (^British Museum). 



Extralimital Range. The greater portion of South America, 

 east of the Andes to Argentina. C*entral America, and south 

 United States. 



Ilahits. Schomburgk remarks (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 755): — This 

 beautiful bird liaunts the oceanic river mouths and the coasts, and 

 very rarely goes inland, although I was once much surprised to 

 find a large flock on the sand-banks of the Takutu River, a little 

 beyond the mouth of the ]\laliu — more especially as T never found it 

 on the Savanna swamps and rivers. All the specimens T obtained 

 in Takutu were old birds, but, curiously enough, the sjiecimens I 

 obtained near the coast were young l)irds. I shot a large number 

 on the nnissel-banks of the Waini, and during my st:iy there they 

 were my chief diet. I was unable to obtain a specimen with the 

 j>urp]e-red featliers on it. According to tlic natives, the Roseate 

 Spoonbill's nest is found on trees and in tlie reeds. I lia\(' never 

 found the nest myself. This l»ird is distiiluited all along Ihe 

 coast, and is of rather a ^iiy nature, in fact one of tlie >liy(sl of 



