PLATALEID^ PLATALBA 105 



first parallel to one another, and afterwards following the curved 

 margin of the upper mandible ; sides of the head and throat bare of 

 feathers ; legs long, lower half of the tibia naked, tarsus far longer 

 than the middle toe, covered with reticulate scales; toes webbed at 

 the base. 



Spoonbills are found throughout the greater part of the Old 

 World ; out of four species generally recognised, two occur in Africa 

 and one is found in South Africa. 



608. Platalea alba. African Spoonbill. 



Platalea alba, Scop., Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr. ii, p. 92 (1786) ; 

 Grant, Ibis, 1889, p. 47 ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 156 (1896) ; Sharpe, 

 Cat. B. M. xxvi, p. 49 (1898) ; Woodward Bros., Natal B. p. 192 

 (1899) ; id. Ibis, 1900, p. 518 ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 439 ; 

 Beichenoiv, Vog. Afr. i, p. 331 (1901). 



Platalea tenuirostris, Temm., Man. d'Orn. 2nd ed. i, p. ciii (1820) ; 

 Ourney, Ibis, 1861, p. 134 [Natal]; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 313 

 (1867) ; Gurney, in Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 295 (1872) ; Ayres, 

 Ibis, 1874, p. 105, 1885, p. 350 ; Milne-Edw. §• Gramdid., Hist. Nat. 

 Madagas. Ois., p. 524 pi. 215-217 (1882) ; Holub Sr Pelzeln, Orn. 

 sad- Afr. p. 290 (1882) ; Butler, Feilden andBeid, Zool. 1882, p. 345 ; 

 Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 742 (1884) ; Haagner, Ibis, 1902, 

 p. 575. 



Platalea nivea, Burchell, Travels, i, p. 501 (1822). 



Description. Adult. — Plumage white throughout ; a nuchal crest 

 present ; whole of the fore part of the crown, the region round the 

 eye and the throat bare of feathers ; the crown bright red, becoming 

 yellowish at the gape and on the chin. Iris white to pearly-grey ; 

 bill, upper mandible red, lower mandible slaty-black vyith yellow 

 spots and edges ; legs bright red. 



Length about 35- ; wing 15'0 ; tail 5-0 ; culmen 7-0 ; tarsus 4-60 ; 

 middle toe and claw 3-75. 



A young bird has the outer primaries brown, and all the quills 

 including some of the greater coverts with dark brown shafts ; the 

 crown of the head is streaked with blackish -brown, the bill dusky 

 yellowish-horn, and feet blackish. 



Distribution. — The African Spoonbill is found throughout the 

 greater part of Africa (including Madagascar) south of the Sahara 

 Desert ; its place is taken on the Eed Sea and Somaliland coasts 

 by the European species which has the head feathered in front of 

 the eye almost to the base of the culmen, and black legs. 



