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The Spoonbill inhabits Central and Southern Europe (only occasionally straggling into Northern 

 Europe), Northern Africa, the Azores and Canaries, ranging eastward to India and Siberia. 

 In Great Britain it used, some two hundred years ago, to breed in the eastern counties, but is 

 now only a rare straggler, though seen almost every year on our east coast. Mr. It. Gray (B. of 

 W. of Scotl. p. 286) considers that in Scotland it "will probably be found to be an occasional 

 visitant to the western islands. I am informed by Mr. H. D. Graham that this bird has been 

 accurately described by several residents on the Outer Hebrides to Mr. Colin M'Vean. At 

 Barra, especially, the species has recurred oftener than once ; on one occasion five were seen 

 flying together in a flock. I am unable, however, to say any thing from personal observation. 

 The species has also been seen on the east coast, in Tyne estuary ; and has been shot in Shetland, 

 where, however, it is extremely rare. In October 1859, a flock of ten were seen flying across the 

 Bay of Kirkwall, in Orkney, by some workpeople, who soon spread the information, which led to 

 the destruction of half their number. A week afterwards three more were seen, one of which 

 was killed, thus making the sixth ' martyr to the cause of science,' as subjects of this kind are 

 now mildly termed. All these specimens were young birds without the crest." From time to 

 time stragglers are met with in almost all parts of England, more especially on the east coast, 

 where numerous occurrences are recorded. Mr. Stevenson writes to me that " it visits Norfolk 

 almost every spring. This year no less than five were shot on Breydon in spite of the new act." 

 This gentleman, in his ' Birds of Norfolk,' gives very concise information respecting the nesting 

 of this species in Norfolk ; and I cannot do better than quote from him as follows : — " But for 

 the most trustworthy records of Sir Thomas Browne, it would scarcely have been credited 

 at the present time that this remarkable species was formerly a resident in East Anglia. This 

 important fact, however, is preserved to us in the following passage from Sir Thomas's notes on 

 the birds of Norfolk : — ' The Platea or Shovelard, which built upon the tops of high trees. 

 They formerly built in the hernery at Claxton and Reedham ; now at Trimley, in Suffolk. They 

 come in March, and are shot by fowlers, not for their meat, but for the handsomeness of the 

 same ; remarkable in their white colour, capped crown, and spoon or spatule-like bill.' From 

 so minute a description of the species, there can be no doubt as to its identity ; but even at that 

 time (1688) it seems, through the persecution of the fowlers, they had ceased to breed in Norfolk, 

 though still found at Trimley, in Suffolk, the ' handsomeness ' of their plumage rendering their 

 destruction as certain as in more modern times. Pennant, whose most elaborate account of the 

 Spoonbill was taken from a freshly killed specimen, sent him from Yarmouth by the late 

 Mr. Joseph Sparshall, states in the 'Appendix' to his 'British Zoology,' that 'a flock of these 

 birds migrated into the marshes, near Yarmouth, in Norfolk, in April 1774;' but since that time, 

 although an annual visitant to our shores on its migratory passage, it has come only in pairs, or 

 at most three or four at one time." Mr. Stevenson records the occurrence of the following speci- 

 mens between 1774 and 1868: — "June 1818, a pair were seen at Cromer; and one was killed 

 at Yarmouth in the month of May of the same year (Sheppard and Wliitear). In 1829, 

 Mr. Hunt remarks in his list, ' in the course of the last five or six years seven or eight of these 

 birds have been killed at Caister and Burgh, in the neighbourhood of Yarmouth.' Two in May 

 1830 (Selby) ; one May 21st, 1831; three June 1834 ; one in 1838 (Sir William Hooker's MS.); two 

 near Yarmouth, one at Norwich prior to 1846 (J. H. Grurney's collection); two killed at Salthouse, 



