SPOONBILL. 159 
ends of the under tail-coverts, white ; legs and toes, 
orange-red ; the claws black. 
SPOONBILLS. 
In the genus, which we place next, we find birds 
possessing the form, and many of the habits, of the 
herons ; the bill lengthened, but instead of that mem- 
ber being sharp-pointed and rough on the edges, 
fitted for darting at and securing a slippery and 
sometimes strong prey, we see it depressed, endowed 
with sensibility, and modelled somewhat upon the 
plan of the bill among the ducks. 
Platalea, — Generic characters. — Bill long, 
straight, depressed, very flat, dilated towards 
the tip ; nostrils basal, placed above, and near 
each other ; legs long, naked above the tarsal 
joint ; toes before partially webbed, posterior 
toe articulated slightly above the plane of the 
others ; claws short, not serrated ; wings long, 
second quill longest ; head often crested. 
Types, P. leucorodia, ajaja, &c. 
Note. — Gregarious, breed on trees, sometimes 
swim. Europe, Asia, America. 
