103* fiiRDs OP liiLmotS. 



Ajaja ajaja (Linn.) 



EOSEAT£ SFOOITBILL. 

 Popnlar Bynonym. Pink Curlew (Florida). 

 Flatalea ajaja Linn. 8. N. ed. 10, 1768, 140 (ex Bloanb, B. Jam. il, 316; Maboob.; Bxt); ed. 



12, i, 1766, 281.— WiLS. Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 123, pi. 62 (immature).— Nutt. Man. ii,1834, 



79.— AtJD. Orn. Biog. iv, 1838. 188; B. Am. vi, 1843, 72, pi. 362 (adult).— Cabs., in 



Baird'8 B. N. Am. 1858, 686.-rBAlBD, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 601.— OouBS, Key, 



1872, 264; Check List. 1873, No. 44S. 

 Ajaja ajaja Bono. Cat. Av. 1876, 54.— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 183.— Bidow. Man. 



N. Am. B. 1887. 123. 

 Platea mexioana ("WrLLOUQHBT") Oaub. Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Ser. 2, 1, 1849, 222 



("Ban Francisco"). 

 Ajaja rosea (ex Platea rosea Bbiss.) Eeich. "Nat. Syst. 16".— EiDaw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, 



No. 605.— COUBS, 2d Cheek List, 1882, No. 653.— B. B. & B. Water B. N? Am. i, 1884, 102. 



Has. Whole ol tropical and subtropical America; north regularly to OuU coast of the 

 United States; formerly ranging northward in Mississippi YaUey to southern Illinois. 



Sp. Chab. Adult: Head entirely bare. Neck,back,andbreast. white; tail orange-buff, 

 the shafts of the feathers deep pink, the inner webs inclining to pale pink. Best of the 

 plumage pale rose-pink, the lesser wing-coverts' region, and upper and lower tail-coverts, 

 brilliant. Intense carmine. Chest with a tuft of light carmine, somewhat twisted, or 

 ourled, narrow plumes. Sides of the breast, at base of the wings (concealed by the latter), 

 pale creamy buff. "Bill yellowish gray at the base, mottled with brownish black, in the rest 

 of its extent pale greenish blue, light on the margins; base of margin of lower mandible 

 greenish yellow; iris bright carmine; feet pale lake; olaws brownish black; head yeUowish 

 green; space around the eye and the gular sac orpiment-orange ; a band of black from the 

 lower mandible to tie occiput" (Audubon). Immature: Like the adult, but lacking the 

 brilliant carmine of the lesser wing-coverts' region, tail-coverts, etc., these portions being 

 pale peach-blossom pink. Tail delicate peach-blossom pink, instead of orange-buff. 

 Nuchal and pectoral colored tufts absent. Toung: Head completely feathered, except im- 

 mediately around the base of the bilL Head, neck, back, and anterior lower parts white, in 

 some specimens more or less tinged, especially above, with orange-buff;' wings, tail, and 

 posterior part of the body delicate pale peach-blossom pink, the shafts of the remiges and 

 rectrices deeper pink. Outer webs of alulse, outer primary-coverts, and wide borders to 

 outer primaries (principally on outer webs), clear snuff -brown. 



[NoTB. We have not seen the young in down, nor when first feathered. The latter is 

 described by Audubon as follows: "The young, . . . when able to fly, . . . are 

 grayish white. The bill is then quite smooth,' of a yellowish green color, as are the legs 

 andfeet,-as well as the skin on part of the head. Young birds in their second year have 

 the wings and the lower wing-coverts of a pale roseate tint, the bill more richly colored, 

 and the legs and feet dark brownish red or purplish. At this age they are imadorned with 

 the.curUng feathers on the breast; but in the third spring the bird is perfect, although it in- 

 creases in size for several seasons after."] ' 



Length, about 28,00-35,00 inches; expanse of wings, 48.00^53.00; wing, 14.10-15.30; tall, 

 4.20-6.20; culmen, 6.20-7.15; width of bill, 2.00-2.20; tarsus, 8.76-4.65; middle toe. 2.96-3.35; 

 bare portion of tibia, 2.80-3.20. 



Although, like the Carolina Parrakeet and Ivory-billed Wood- 

 pecker, the Roseate Spoonbill niB.y not now be found in IHinois, 

 I was informed, in 1879, by a taxidermist^ whom I have every 



1 Qu, An accidental stain? 



« Mr. Alexander WoUe, 8r., of Baltimore. Md. (See BuU.lfutt, Orn, 07«B,v, Jan. 1880,p.Sl.) 



