THE SPOON-DILLS. 
107 
covered with plumes, whereas in the American Spoon-bill, 
Ajaja ajaja, the head is entirely bare and the orifice of the ear 
exposed. 
Flatibis, which is confined to Australia, has no crest, but 
has ornamental breeding-plumes on the fore-neck, while the 
nostrils are differently placed to those of Platalea, which has a 
crest, but no ornamental feathers on the fore-nee'e. 
THE TRUE SPOON-BILLS. GENUS PLATALEA. 
Platalea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 231 (1766). 
Type, P. leticcrodia, Linn. 
A bare head and the auricular orifice covered with plumes, 
are the main ch.iracters of this genus, but the position of the 
nostrils is also peculiar, the nasal opening being an elongated 
oval, situated in a narrow depression, which loses itself about 
the commencement of the narrowest part of the bill, and is 
continued in a narrow sub-marginal line, which runs to the lip 
of the bill. In the breeding-plumage a full crest is developed, 
but there are no ornamental plumes on the fore-neck or breast. 
Four species of Spoon-bill are known, all peculiar to the Old 
World. Our P. kiicerodia of Europe is replaced in Australia 
and the Moluccas by P. regia and in Eastern Asia by P. 
minor, while in Africa a totally distinct species, P. alba, takes 
the place of the black-billed forms. P. alba has a red bill and 
legs, and is found in Africa and Madagascar. 
I. THE SPOON-BILL. PL.'VTALEA LEUCERODIA. 
Platalea leucorodia, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 231 (1766); Macg. 
Brit. B. iv. p. 503 (1852); B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 113 
(1883) ; Seebohm, Br. B. ii. p. 514 (1884) ; Saunders, ed. 
Yarn Brit. B. iv. p. 237 (1884); id. Man. Br. B. p. 381 
(1889); Lilford, Col. F'ig. Brit. B. part. xii. (1890). 
Platen leucorodia, Dresser, B. Eur. vi. p. 319, pi. 407 (1873). 
Platalea leucerodia, Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 44. 
(/Ya/fi LX XII.) 
Adult Hale.— *Pure white above and below, including the quills 
