THE SPOONBILL 
Platalea leucorodea 
Plumage white all over, tinged with buff on the lower 
part of the neck; head crested; beak flattened from above 
downward, and terminating in a broad spoon-shaped expan- 
sion ; eye red. 
WHEN seen flying the Spoonbill can be readily 
distinguished from the only other white Egyptian 
bird, i.e. the Egret, because the former flies with 
its neck extended, whilst the latter, being of the 
Heron tribe, flies with its neck drawn back close 
to the body. 
I have seen pictures in some of the Gurnah 
tombs which, though crudely drawn, were un- 
doubtedly meant for the Spoonbill. The old-time 
artist was apparently so struck with the flat, spoon- 
shaped beak that he deemed it a worthy subject 
for the exercise of his art. But though faithfully 
drawn in so far as its form is concerned, it is wrongly 
depicted in its relation to the head, since the head 
is shown in profile, while the beak is drawn as 
though it were seen from above! In no picture 
that I can recall by these ancient draughtsmen is 
any bird ever shown in the very slightest degree 
foreshortened. 
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