( 6i J 



The SpoonUll. Albardeola. 



Numb. LXVI. 



ITS Weight forty five Ounces and a half; its Length, frOm the Tip of the Bill to 

 the End of the Claws, was thirty four Inches, to the End of the Tail twenty 

 four} the Colour of the whole Body was white like a Swan's: beyond the Eyes 

 towards the Bill grow neither Feathers nor Down, as in the Hern and Cormorant y 

 the Angle alfo of the lower Chap is bare, which perchance is peculiar and proper to 

 this Bird. 



The firft quill Feathers of the Wings are black, of the fecond only the exteriour 

 or outer Web half from the Shafts and the Tips of the interiour are black, of the 

 third only the Top, and of the fourth yet lefs : in like manner the Tips and Shafts of 

 the inferiour of the fecond Row were black ; the Tail is fliort, being but three Inches 

 and a half in Length, made up of twelve Feathers. 



The Bill is of a fingular and unufual Figure, plain, deprefl^ed, and broad, near the 

 End dilated into an almoft circular Figure of the Likeneis of a Spoon ; whence alfo 

 the Bird itfelf is called by the Low 'Dutch, Leplaer, that is Spoon Bill--, the broad 

 Part of the Bill is graven with twelve or fourteen Lines or Crevifes, but its inward. 

 Surface is fmooth and even, without any fuch Lines or Cravings. 



The Bills of the young ones are of a yellowifli white, of the old ones black ; the 

 Tongue is fliarp and little? the Legs half way up the fecond Joint are bare of Fea- 

 thers, of a chefnut Colour; the Feet ftrong, the fore Toes joined together by a mem- 

 brane, the outmoft and middlemoft to the fecond Joint, the middlemoft and inmoft 

 no further than the firft; the Toes and Claws black. 



It had a large Gall, the Guts had many Revolutions, above the Stomach the Gullet 

 was dilated into a Bag, whofe inward Surface was rough and uneven, with many- 

 papillary Glandules, 



Its Eggs are of the Bignefs of large Hen's Eggs, white and powdered with a few 

 fanguine or pale red Spots. 



In a certain Grove at a Village, called Senjenhuys, not far from Leyden in Holland^ 

 they build and bread yearly in great Numbers on the Tops of high Trees, where 

 are alfo Herns and Night-Ravens, (d^c. when the young ones are almoft fledged, thofe 

 that farm the Grove, with Hooks on the Tops of long Poles, pull them down. I 

 was obliged to Mrs, Legrand for the Sight of this Bird. 





EL. IX'i 



