122 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Order HERODIONES.— The Herons, 

 Stork's, Ibises, etc. (Pagei.) 



Families. 



a\ Sides of upper mandible with a deep narrow groove extending uninterruptedly 

 from the nostrils to the tip. (Suborder Ibides.) 

 b\ Bill very broad and excessively flattened, greatly widened toward end, only 



the extreme tip deeurved Plataleidse. (Page 122.) 



b\ Bill slender, nearly cylindrical, or even narrower than deep toward end, 

 gradually but decidedly deeurved or bent downward for nearly the 



whole length.... Ibididce. (Page 123.) 



a 2 . Sides of upper mandible without any groove. 



b 1 . Hind toe inserted above the level of the anterior toes ; claws broad and flat, 

 resting on a horny pad or shoe, the middle one not pectinated. (Sub- 

 order CiconicB.) Cieoniidge. (Page 124.) 



b 2 . Hind toe inserted on the same level with the anterior toes ; claws narrow, 

 arched, the under surface free, the middle one with its inner edge dis- 

 tinctly pectinated. (Suborder Herodii.) 

 c 1 . Bill lance-shaped, or compressed, narrow, and pointed, the lateral out- 

 lines nearly straight, and the gonys several times longer than the 



width of the lower mandible Ardeidae. (Page 126.) 



c 2 . Bill shaped much like an inverted boat ; excessively broad, the lateral 

 outlines much bowed, and the gonys not longer than the width of 

 the lower mandible Cochleariidce. 1 



Family PLATALEIDiE.— The Spoonbills. (Page 122.) 



Genera. 

 (Characters same as those given for the Family) Ajaja. (Page 122.) 



Genus AJAJA Eeichenbach. (Page 122, pi. XXXI., fig. 1.) 



Species. 



Adult : Keck, back, and breast white ; tail orange-buff, the" shafts deep pink ; 

 rest of plumage pale rose-pink, the lesser wing-coverts and upper tail-coverts 

 glossy intense carmine. Immature (second year ?) : Similar to adult, but lacking 

 the carmine of the wing-coverts and upper tail-coverts, and tail peach-blossom, 

 pink instead of orange-buff. Young : Head completely feathered, except around 

 base of bill; plumage chiefly white, becoming delicate peach-blossom pink on 

 wings, tail, and hinder lower parts ; outer webs of bastard wing, primary coverts 



1 The Boat-bills, represented by the single genus Ooehleariua Bbisson (type, Cancroma cochlearia Link.). 



