123 



ROSEATE SPOONBILL. 

 PLATALEA AJAJA. 

 [Plate LXIII.— Fig. 1.] 



Jlrct, Zool. JVo. 338. — ^Lath. Syn. t, 3, p. 16, J^o. 2. — La Spatule eouleur de UosCj Briss. Orn. V, 

 |}. 366, 2. pi. 30.— PI. Enh p. 116.— Buff. VII, 456.— Peaie's Museum, JVo. 3553. 



THIS stately and elegant bird inhabits the sea shores of 

 America from Brasil to Georgia. It also appears to wander up 

 the Mississippi sometimes in summer, the specimen from which 

 the figure in the plate was drawn having been sent me from the 

 neighbourhood of Natchez, in excellent order; for which favour I 

 am indebted to the family of my late benevolent and scientific 

 friend William Dunbar, esq. of that territory. It is now deposited 

 in Mr. Peale^s museum. 



This species, howev€r, 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 shell 

 fish, 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 chesnut the first 

 year; of the roseate color 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 farther 



* Latham. 



