252 
The Bittern and Spoonbill. 
are deposited. Tlie Spoonbill is a silent bird when adult, but 
the youngsters make plenty of sound. I had four of these 
birds at one time and the young all called quite loudly for 
food when hungry. They were all birds of the year and con- 
tinued their curious cry until six months old when it ceased, 
and thenceforward they were silent. It was rather comical to 
see them walking up and down their aviary, shaking their heads 
and '■ crying. " 
The Spoonbills are gentle birds and never interfere 
with or bully their smaller brethren. They are bndly built for 
offence; their spatula-shaped beak being ill-adapted for thrust- 
ing. In this respect it presents a big difference from the Bit- 
tern. The latter bird has a beak like a foil, but the Spoonbill 
has a foil with a button on it. The bird realizes this and 
never attempts to stab forward. 
In the later summer the Spoonbill departs for the 
warmei districts of Europe and Africa where it spends the 
winter months, returning again to its breeding haunts with 
the springtime. Small parties of Spoonbills are seen an- 
nually on the East Coast of England, usually in twos and 
threes. There can be lutle doubt that these birds would nest 
in this country if permitted to do so in peace. But the sight 
of this stranger with the large and uncommon form causes him 
to be shot by some man with a gun who is out to kill, and 
also probably thinks a glass case is more suitable for this 
gentle and interesting bird than the shores which it graces 
by its picturesque presence. 
Spoonbills feed on small reptiles, fishes, molluscs, 
aquatic insects, shrimps, etc., and may be fed on the same 
provender in captivity. A fish diet, I found, was preferred 
to any o:her. This is far less expensive than it reads. All 
fishmongers have, daily, a large quantity of " waste " which 
consists of odd scraps, and heads of fish. They are usually 
glad to find somebody who will take this " offal " (as they 
term it) off their hands free of charge. This should be cut 
up into small pieces with a chopper, and it makes a splendid 
and highly relished diet for the Spoonbill. To give exercise 
and amusement the fish may be buried in soft mud or dropped 
into the water, where the bird searches with his bill and fishes 
it out. It is then thrown forward and jerked down the throat. 
