104 PLATALBID^ PLATALEA 



Distribution. — The Glossy Ibis has a very wide range. It is 

 spread all over Southern Europe and Asia from Spain to Siam, 

 while north of the Alps it is an irregular visitor, not infrequently 

 reaching the British Islands ; it also occurs in the Malayan Islands, 

 Australia, and the eastern United States, as far south as Florida. It 

 occurs throughout the greater part of Africa from Algeria and 

 Egypt to Cape Colony, including Madagascar. 



Within our limits it is by no means a common bird, though it 

 has been met with in most of the colonies except German South- 

 west Africa. 



The following is a list of recorded localities : Cape Colony — 

 Sterkstroom division (Albany Mus.), Zeekoe Vlei, Cape division 

 and Orange Eiver (Verreaux apud Layard) ; Natal— Durban harbour 

 (Woodward), Monocusi Eiver (Ayres) ; Transvaal — Potchefstroom, 

 March, July, August (Ayres) ; Ehodesia— near Salisbury (Marshall), 

 Upper Zambesi at Sesheke (Holub), Lower Zambesi, July 

 (Alexander). 



Habits. — The Glossy Ibis is usually found in pairs along the 

 banks of rivers and in swamps, where it obtains its food ; this 

 consists chiefly of small crustaceans, fishes and frogs. These birds 

 are shy and difiScult of approach, and if disturbed circle up in the 

 air to a great height, and go off to some other marsh. The Glossy 

 Ibis is not known to breed in South Africa, but in Spain it makes a 

 nest of a few sticks and reeds in a bush on or near the water ; 

 three to four oval, dark greenish blue eggs, measuring 2-0 x 1-5 

 are deposited. 



Family V. PLATALBID^. 



The Spoonbills are closely allied to the Ibises in all essential 

 anatomical characters, so that they have often been all placed 

 together in one family ; the curious spoon-shaped bill, however, at 

 once distinguishes these birds from all others, and constitutes their 

 claim to family distinction. 



Genus I. PLATALEA. 



Type. 

 Platalea, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, p. 231 (1766) P. leucorodia. 



Bill much modified, both mandibles spoon-shaped and much 

 flattened, slightly down-curved at the tip ; nostrils near the base of 

 the bill with oval orifices, from which two grooves run forward at 



