CLASS II. Birds. DIV. II. WATER BIRDS. SECT. I. CLOVEN FOOTED. GENUS 1. SPOONBILL. BILL long, flat, and thin; the end widening TONGUE small and pointed. Platalea leucorodia. Pl. cor- Albardeola. Aldr.av.iii.160. Platalea Leucorodia. Gm. 1. White. Lin. 613. Faun. Suec. 115. Arct. Zool. ii. 139. A FLOCK of these birds migrated into the marshes near Yarmouth, in Norfolk, in April, Description. 1774. They inhabit the continent of Europe. In Mr. Ray's time, they bred annually in a wood at Sevenhuys, not remote from Leyden : but the wood is now destroyed, and these, with several other species, which formerly frequented the country, are at present become very rare. Mr. Joseph Sparshall of Yarmouth favored me with the following very accurate description: "The length from the end of the beak to the extremity of the middle toe forty inches; breadth of the wings, extended, fifty-two inches; bill, length of the upper mandible seven inches; of the lower six three-fourths ditto; breadth of the spoon, near the point, two inches; ditto of the nether mandible one inch seven-eighths; breadth of both, in the narrowest part, near the middle, three-fourths of an inch; a bright orange-colored spot, about the breadth of a sixpence, just above the point of the upper mandible, which is a little hooked, or bent downward at its extremity. At the angles of the bill, on each cheek, a spot of a bright orange-color; the skin between the sides of the lower mandible, and extending about three inches downward on the throat or neck, covered with very fine down, almost imperceptible, which with the skin on that part, are of a very bright orange-color; irides of the eyes a bright flame-color, very lively and vi vid; the whole bill (except the above spot) of a fine shining black; its upper surface elegantly waved with dotted protuberances; a depressed line extending from the nostrils (which are three-eighths of an inch long, and situate half an inch below the upper part of the bill) is continued round it about one eighth of an inch from its edge; its substance has something of the appearance of whale bone, thin, light, and elastic. Inside of the mouth a dark ash-color, almost black; the tongue (remarkably singular) being very short, heart shaped, and when drawn back, serving as a valve to close the entrance of the throat, which it seems to do effectually; when pulled forward has the appearance of a triangular button; the ears, or auditory apertures, large, and placed an inch behind the angles of the mouth. Plumage of the whole body, wings, and tail white; on the back part of the head a beautiful crest of white feathers, hanging pendent be hind the neck; their length about five inches; which, in the living subject, gives it a very beautiful appearance. Weight of the fowl, three days after killed, was three pounds and a half. The legs black, their length six inches, and thighs the same; the latter naked about half their length; toes connected by a small web, extending to the first joint on each. |