SPOONBILL. 185 



elevation in circling gyrations, even out of sight. When the 

 Spoonbill migrates, it mostly flies in flocks ; and their mode of 

 moving on is in oblique lines. The Spoonbill is a shy, care- 

 ful, and distrustful bird, consequently not likely to be ap- 

 proached near enough for the purpose of killing it with a gun- 

 shot ; but, owing to its habit of feeding during the day-time 

 and roosting at night, the best way to obtain a specimen is by 

 lying in wait for it, or carefully approaching its roosting- 

 place. 



It is by no means difficult to tame the Spoonbill, and keep 

 it in a poultry-yard, provided it is taken very young. This 

 bird also rattles its beak like the stork. 



The food on which the Spoonbill chiefly subsists is fish, 

 although the formation of its beak seems hardly strong enough 

 to kill or hold any but the very smallest. The remains of 

 fish two or three inches in length have been found in its 

 stomach. Soft kinds of worms, leeches, and aquatic in- 

 sects also rank amongst its food, and the larvse of fish and 

 frogs, grasses, and roots of water plants equally belong to its 

 food. In Holland, Hungary, and the south of France the 

 Spoonbill breeds plentifully. 



Where trees abound in the vicinity of the locality in which 

 the Spoonbill resides, the nest is built in one of them ; but 

 where no trees are at hand, the nest is placed in a willow 

 stump, either upon broken rushes or on the ground. Where 

 trees abound, the Spoonbill builds in the vicinity of one 

 or more of its species, as these birds are very sociable among 

 their own kind. The nest is constructed of sticks, twigs, and 

 the leaves of rushes, and lined with some softer materials of 

 the same kind. The eggs are in number two, three, and 

 sometimes four. After the young are hatched they remain in 

 the nest until they are able to fly, when the parent birds lead 

 them to boggy ground, and soon after let them shift for 

 themselves. 



