DIV. II. AVES AQUATICS. WATER BIRDS. 
ORDER Vir. GRALL^. WADERS. 
GENUS 64. PLATALEA. SPOONBILL. 
SPECIES. P. JiJAJJl. 
ROSEATE SPOONBILL. 
[Plate LXIIL— Fig. l.J 
Jlrct. ZooL. JVo. 338. — Lath. Syn. v. 3, 1 6, JV*o. 2. — La Spatule 
couleur de Rose, Briss. Orn, v, p. 356, 2, pi, 30,— PL Enl. p. 
11 6. — Buff, vii, 456.— Pealf.’s Museu'in, JVo. 3553. 
This stately and elegant bird inhabits the seashores of 
America, from Brazil to Georgia, It also appears to wander 
up the Mississippi sometimes in summer, the specimen from 
which the figure in the plate was drawn having been sent me 
from the neighbourhood of Natchez, in excellent order; for 
which favour I am indebted to the family of my late benevolent 
and scientific friend, William Dunbar, esq., of that territory. 
It is now deposited in Mr. Peale’s museum. 
This species, however, is rarely seen to the northward of the 
Alatamaha river; and even along the peninsula of Florida is a 
scarce bird. In Jamaica, several other of the West India islands, 
Mexico, and Guiana, it is more common, but confines itself 
chiefly to the seashore, and the mouths of rivers. Captain Hen- 
derson says, it is frequently seen at Honduras. It wades about 
in quest of shell-fish, marine insects, small crabs and fish. In 
pursuit of these, it occasionally swims and dives. 
There are few facts on record relative to this very singular 
bird. It is said that the young are of a blackish chestnut the 
VOL. Ill, — H 
