ROSEATE SPOONBILL. 
77 
angle very long, narrow, rounded, the crura narrow, and gradually flattened, 
the extremity expanded into a flattened disk as in the upper. The 
mandibles are covered with soft skin, which for half their length is rough 
with roundish plates having their anterior margin somewhat prominent. 
Head of moderate size, flattened above. Neck long and slender. Body 
compact, ovate. Legs long and rather slender; tibia bare in its lower half, 
and reticulate; tarsus rather long, stout, roundish, covered all round with 
reticulated subhexagonal scales ; toes rather long, moderately stout, covered 
above with numerous scutella, but at the base reticulated ; first inore slen- 
der, articulated on the same plane ; second considerably shorter than third, 
which is in the same proportion exceeded by the fourth. Claws moderate, 
arched, compressed, laterally grooved, rather obtuse. 
The head, gular sac. and a small part of the neck, destitute of feathers. 
Those on the neck linear or lanceolate, small, with disunited bai’bs; a tuft 
on the lower and fore part of the neck recurved and silky. The feathers 
on the other parts are of moderate length, ovate, rather compact above, 
blended beneath. Wings long and very broad ; primaries firm, broad, 
tapering, but rounded, the second longest, the third next, the first a quar- 
ter of an inch shorter ; secondaries broad and broadly rounded. Tail 
short, even, of twelve rather broad, abruptly rounded feathers. 
Bill yellowish-grey at the base, mottled with brownish-black, in the rest 
of its extent pale greenish-blue, light on the margins ; base of margin of 
lower mandible greenish-yellow. Iris bright carmine. Feet pale lake ; 
claws brownish-black. Head yellowish-green ; space around the eye and 
the gular sac orpiment orange ; a band of black from the lower mandible to 
the occiput. Feathers of the neck white. Back and wings of a beautiful 
delicate rose colour; the lower parts of a deeper tint; the tuft of recurved 
feathers on the fore-neck, a broad band across the wing along the cubitus, 
and the upper and lower tail-coverts, of a rich and pure carmine with silky 
lustre. The shafts of all the quills and scapulars are light carmine. On 
each side of the lower part of the neck and fore part of the body a patch 
of pale ochre. Tail feathers ochre-yellow, but at the base pale roseate, 
with the shafts carmine. 
Length to end of tail 30f inches, to end of wings 291, to end of claws 36; 
extent of wings 53; bill 7 ; breadth of gape If, depth of pouch 2; breadth of 
bill at the base 1§; at the end 2 T V; bare part of the tibia 3; tarsus 4; hind 
toe and clawlj-f; second toe and claw 2 T V; middle toe and claw 3 T 7 2-; outer 
toe an d c law 3 _i_; wing from flexure 151; tail 4f. Weight 4 lbs. 2 oz. 
The female is smaller, but resembles the male. 
Length to end of tail 28 inches, to end of wings 28, to end of claws 35f ; 
extent of wings 48. Weight 3 lbs. 
