74 Birds of Colorado 
b? Long plumes on the crown and neck as well as the 
back. Egretta, p. 84. 
b? Plumage not white. 
a? Larger—wing over 17 ; « white line on the throat. 
Ardea, p. 82. 
b? Smaller—wing under 15; no white on throat, but plu- 
mage sometimes entirely white. Dichromanassa, p. 86. 
ce? Smallest—wing under 8; prevailing colour green. 
Butorides, p. 86. 
bt Naked portion of the tibio-tarsus much shorter than the 
inner toe and claw. 
a? ‘Tarsus short, about equal to middle toe and claw. 
Nycticorax, p. 87. 
b? Tarsus longer, exceeding the middle toe and claw. 
Nyctanassa, p. 88. 
Family PLATALED&. 
The Spoonbills are so closely allied to the Ibises in 
all essential anatomical characters, 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 claims to 
family distinction. 
Genus AJAJA. 
In addition to the spoon-shaped bill, these birds have the head bald 
in the adult, and the throat somewhat pouched ; the nostrils are basal 
and linear-oblong; tail of twelve feathers; tarsi reticulate with 
hexagonal plates; toes semipalmate ; plumage white and pink ; sexes 
alike. 
Only one species is recognized. 
Roseate Spoonbill. Ajaja ajaja. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 183—Colorado Records—Morrison 89, p. 166; 
H. G. Smith 96, p. 65; Cooke 97, p. 59. 
Description.—Adult—Head and throat bare of feathers, varied green, 
yellow, orange and black; neck and upper-back white, sometimes 
tinged with pink ; sides of the breast and end of the tail ochraceous- 
buff; rest of the plumage pink to carmine; iris pink, bill like the 
head, legs carmine. Length 32; wing 14-5; tail 5-0; culmen 6-25; 
tarsus 4-0, 
