ADJUTANT STORK^SPQONBILL 39 



commerce as marabou plumes. The African Adjutant 

 Stork has a heavy, sharply pointed bill, and the top 

 of the head and neck has a curious bald and shrivelled 

 appearance. From this scaly skin projects a few 

 sparse feathers resembling hairs, and as the bird 

 stands with its head sunken between its shoulders in 

 a dejected attitude, it looks not unlike some weak and 

 tottering old man. See Plate 34, Fig. 195. 



This Stork is extremely voracious, and can swallow 

 very large objects at a gulp. It is a scavenger, and 

 in some places is protected by law. Although so im- 

 gainly when at rest, this bird is very majestic in flight, 

 the wings being long and powerful. 



In Central Africa is found a species known as the 

 Whale-headed Stork, from the enormous development 

 of its bill. 



The Jabiru is a Stork-like bird found in South and 

 Central America. The bill is long and heavy and 

 slightly recurved at the tip. The plumage is almost 

 entirely white ; the feet, bUl and bare skin on the neck 

 are black. 



The European Spoonbill is a bird which a few cen- 

 turies ago bred commonly in marshy districts through- 

 out Europe, but is now, largely owing to drainage, 

 only an accidental visitor. The bird derives its name 

 from the curious spoon-like shape of the bUl. See 

 Plate 33, Fig. 190. 



The Roseate Spoonbill of America, closely allied 

 to the European species, is remarkable for the ex- 

 quisite reddish tint of its plumage, which is particu- 

 larly bright on the under portions of the body and 

 wings. The Spoonbill uses its bill very dexterously 



