THE SPOONBILL. 
Of the Spoonbill, which has sometimes erro- 
neously been called the Shoveller (the real Sho- 
veller being a bird of the duck tribe), there are 
three species. The first of these is the Roseate 
Spoonbill, which has beautiful red plumage, 
with a collar of black at the lower part of the 
neck. The second is called the Dwarf Spoon- 
bill, and is about the size of a sparrow. Its 
body is brown above, and white beneath. The 
most common species, however, is that which 
bears the name of the White Spoonbill, from 
its plumage, except in some rare instances, be- 
ing entirely white. This bird is about the size 
of a heron, but somewhat shorter in the neck 
and legs. The bill is more than half a foot in 
length, and has the shape of a spoon. Their 
food is fish, which they often take from other 
birds, in the manner of the bald eagle; also 
mussels and other shell fish, — and they will 
also destroy frogs and snakes. 
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