This fpecics but rarely vifits England, only two inflanccs 
of its being met with have come to our immediate knowledge, 
thefe were feen by a friend of the author's in the neighbourhood 
of Lewes, in Suffex, nearly twenty years ago. One of them 
was fhot, which proved a male bird, and is now in a good ftatc 
of prefervation. 
A pair of Spcon-Bills were kept a few years ago by 
E. J. A. Woodford, Efq. of Belmont-Houfe, Vauxhall ; 
which were very tame and would feed from the hand ; their 
food was worm?, flugs, the produce of a fifh-pond, and- hemp 
feed ; the latter they dexteroufly fcooped from the furface of 
the water. . % 
It flies high, and when on wing utters a noife fomewhat 
refembling the cry of the Curlew, but much louder and 
hoarfer ; it builds on trees, the nefl: is compofed of flicks in 
the fame manner as that of the heron or crow ; the eggs are 
faid to be four in number, of a white colour finely fprinkled 
with red, fize about thofe of the common hen ; during incu-> 
bation they are noify and reftlefs. ' 
The fpecies is found in many parts of Europe, and in the 
milder provinces of Afia, Africa, and America. 
