150 
NATURAL HISTORT. 
a fteel colour, intei-fperfed with pale brown 
feathers; the neck, bread:, and belly, are whi- 
tilh ; and the back is a mixture of black and 
brown ; the long feathers of the wings are of 
a greenilh hue, with a white Ijjot at each ex- 
tremity ; all the other parts of this bird, are 
beautifully variegated with black, brown, 
and aflt-colour. The bill, which is long, 
ftraight, and fharp, is black at the point ; the 
iris of the eyes is of a gold colour ; and the 
tail is fc) fliort, that is does not extend beyond 
the wings. 
To the above may be added, of the fame 
fpecies, the common bittern, the North-Ame> 
rican bittern, and the fmall bittern. 
rhe SPOON-BILL, or SHOVELLER, 
HO can behold this ftrange and fingnlar 
bird, without adoring the wifdom of the 
great Creator of the univerfe ! The bill of 
this bird alone, is a convincing proof of the 
great care of Providence to preferve his 
creatures. This bill is about eight inches 
long, and of equal breadth and flatnefs from 
one end to the other ; but, contrary to that 
of all other birds, inftead of being widefl: at 
the bale, and narroweft at the point, is exaft- 
ly the reverfe, fwelling'into a broad rounded 
end, like the bowl of a fpoon, from which it 
d',*rivcs its name. It is, however, not hol- 
low', 
