The Spoonbill, 49 



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Hume says that in India it builds often near a village, and sometimes even in its 

 midst. The nearest breeding place of this species on the Continent is the Horster 

 Meer, near Amsterdam, where the majority of the nests are, on the other hand, 

 placed on the ground. The fishing and right of gathering the eggs of the varioiis 

 wild birds that frequent it, is let, and not to everyone is permission granted to 

 visit it during the breeding season. Dr. P. I/. Sclater, in company with the late 

 Mr. W. A. Forbes, were fortunate enough to obtain leave to inspect the nests in 

 1877, and Mr. H. Seebohm iii 1880. Mr. Forbes, has given an interesting description 

 of his" visit in the " Ibis," from which we quote the following account of the 

 situation and construction of the Spoonbills' nests. 



r " The nests were not situated so near together as those of the Cormorants, 

 but scattered two or three yards from each other, with thin patches of reeds 

 growing between them. There was, however, a clear open space in the neighbour- 

 hood, formed of broken-down reeds, in which the birds were said to congregate. 

 The Spoonbill's nest, in the Horster Meer at least, is a mere flattened surface of 

 broken reed, not elevated more than two to three inches above the general level 

 of the swamp ; and no other substance but reed appears to be used in its con- 

 struction." Mr. Seebohm, however, says that most of the nests were built upon 

 a foundation of a few sticks, the principal structui-e being of dead reeds, lined 

 with dry grass. Mr. Eagle Clarke describes the Spoonbill's nest, as he saw in 

 Slavonia," as " immense structures of sticks and dead reeds ; some were only just 

 above the water, while others were as much as four feet from the surface." The 

 Spoonbills return year after year to build in the same place, and to the same 

 nests if they be not weather-worn past repairing. 



The draining of the meres and fens, even in Holland, is proceeding so fast, 

 that ere long the Spoonbills will soon have few places left in which to rear their 

 young. 



This bird lays four to five elongate or roundish eggs, blotched, spotted, or 

 streaked, but not profusely, with reddish brown, on a white chalky ground. The 

 chicks are covered with white down. They are helpless and dependent on their 

 parents till full fledged. In their first plumage they are like the adult, except in 

 having black tips to the wings, and shafts of the same hue to the primary coverts 

 and quills, and in the absence of a crest, while the bill is yellow. 



The Spoonbill, though differing remarkably in the shape of the bill, presents 

 points of resemblance to the Storks, in its flight and sedate walk. Spoonbills are 

 also silent birds ; even when their nests are .being harried they utter no cry ; for 

 like the Storks they have no true organ of voice. The only noise that the 

 Spoonbills appear to make is a loud clattering of their mandibles. 



