€41 



PLATALEA. SPOONBILL. 

 Generic Character. 



Rostrum longum, latum, rec- 

 tum ; supra subtusque pla- 

 num, flexibile, apice dila- 

 tato, spathaeformi. 



Nares parvae, ad basin rostri, 

 membrana fimbriatae. 



Caput faciesque plus mi- 



nusve calvae. 

 Pedes tetradactyli, semi-pal- 



mati ; pollice humi in«- 



cumbens. 

 Alee mediocres. 



Beak long, broad, straight, 

 smooth both above and 

 beneath, flexible, the tip 

 dilated and spoon-shaped. 



iVb^^W/<s small, situated at the 

 base of the beak, and bor- 

 dered by a membrane. 



Head and face more or less 

 bald. 



Legs four-toed, slightly web- 

 bed ; the hinder toe rest- 

 ing upon the ground. 



Wings medial. 



Platalea. Linn., Gmel., Lath., Cuv., Vieil, Temfti. 

 Platea. Ray, Briss,t Leach. 



TL HE Spoonbills live in society in the maritime 

 marshes, or near the mouths of great rivers, rarely 

 occurring inland: they feed upon small fishes, 

 their fry, and mollusca ; also on frog3, and other 

 reptiles and aquatic insects : they build on high 

 trees, in bushes, or amongst rushes. They are 

 migratory birds. 



V. XI. p. II, 42 



