SPOONBILLS. 
145 
in almost every other particular, and, like that bird, will 
dart with fury at the object of its anger; it is found 
in the hot and damp parts of South America, fre- 
quenting the banks of fresh water streams. 
The Spoonbill cannot be mistaken, the round and 
flattened termination of its beak, at once pointing 
out the name. Sometimes, hut rarely, they are 
found in England. Near Holyhead, in the island of 
Anglesey, a very fine specimen was shot and pre- 
served in 1832. It was first seen early in May, 
feeding at low water, in company with some Herons, 
on the marine productions left by the tide, hut was 
so shy, that some weeks had elapsed before it was 
killed, at three o’clock in the morning, by a man 
who had marked its roosting-place, on a small 
rocky island, accessible only on foot at low water. 
Another was also killed about this time, at no 
great distance from the same place. When rising 
from the ground, it always made several wide circles 
before getting into full flight. It was very shy, 
and never could be approached nearer than one 
hundred yards. 
The Flamingo is by far the most striking of 
these three genera; its scientific name is Phcenicop- 
terus , from two Greek words, signifying “ wings of 
flame,” their beautiful carnation colour, contrasting 
with the plumes of the neck and body, which 
in one species are of delicate white. It is a most 
extraordinary bird. Its legs are of an excessive 
length, and so slender, that, at a little distance, 
standing, as they usually do, on one alone, it is 
not easily seen, and the bird appears as if station- 
ary in the air. But the chief singularity is in the 
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