ROSEATE SPOONBILL. . 2 \ 



from the neighbourhood of Natchez, in excellent order ; for 

 which favour I am indebted to the family of my late benevo- 

 lent and scientific friend William Dunbar, Esq., of that terri- 

 tory. It is now deposited in Mr Peale's Museum. This spe- 

 cies, however, is rarely seen to the northward of the Alatamaha 

 river, and even along the peninsula of Florida is a scarce bird. 

 In Jamaica, several other of the West India islands, Mexico, 

 and Guiana, it is more common, but confines itself chiefly to 

 the sea-shore and the mouths of rivers. Captain Henderson 

 says it is frequently seen at Honduras. It wades about in 

 quest of shellfish, marine insects, small crabs, and fish. In 

 pursuit of these it occasionally swims and dives. 



There are few facts on record relative to this very singular 

 bird. It is said that the young are of a blackish chestnut the 

 first year, of the roseate colour of the present the second year, 

 and of a deep scarlet the third.* Having never been so 

 fortunate as to meet with them in their native wilds, I regret 

 my present inability to throw any further light on their history 

 and manners. These, it is probable, may resemble, in many 

 respects, those of the European species, the white spoonbill, 

 once so common in Holland.! To atone for this deficiency, 

 I have endeavoured faithfully to delineate the figure of this 

 American species, and may, perhaps, resume tlie subject in 

 some future part of the present work. 



the sternum. The genus contains three or four species : that of Europe, 

 found also in India ; a species from Africa very near P. ajaja, peculiar 

 to America ; and the Spatule hwppee of Sonnerat, which Mons. Tem- 

 minck thinks distinct. In all, the young do not attain full plumage till 

 after the first moult. — Ed. 



* Latham. 



t The European species breeds on trees by the seaside ; lays three 

 or four white eggs, powdered with a few pale red spots, and about the 

 size of those of a hen ; are very noisy during breeding time ; feed on 

 fish, mussels, &c, which, like the bald eagle, they frequently take from 

 other birds, frightening them by clattering their bill : they are also 

 said to eat grass, weeds, an d roots of reeds : they are migratory ; their 

 flesh is reported to savour of that of a goose ; the young are reckoned good 

 food. 



