Wood Ibis, Tantalus Loculator, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 39.
Tantalus Loculator, Bonap. Syn. p. 310.
Wood Ibis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 82.
Wood Ibis, Tantalus Loculator, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 128.
GENUS III. PLATALEA, Linn. SPOONBILL.
Bill very long, excessively depressed, being, when viewed laterally, very slender; but, when seen from above, nearly as broad as the head at the base, considerably contracted in the middle, and at the end expanded into a large obovate disk much broader than the head; upper mandible with the dorsal line almost straight, at the tip decurved, the ridge extremely broad and flat, gradually widening beyond the nostrils, at the end terminated by the very small, decurved, blunt unguis, the sides declinate at the base, horizontally flattened towards the end, separated in their whole length from the ridge by a narrow groove, their margins soft and blunt; lower mandible with the angle very long, narrow, rounded, the coma narrow, and gradually flattened, the extremity expanded into a flattened disk, as in the upper; both mandibles covered with soft skin, which, for half their length, is rough, with roundish plates, having their anterior margin somewhat prominent. Nostrils basal, oblong-linear, of moderate size. Head of moderate size, flattened above; neck long and slender; body compact, ovate; legs long and rather stout; tibia bare in its lower half, and reticulate; tarsus rather long, stout, roundish, covered all round with subhexagonal scales; toes rather long, moderately stout, scutellate, at the base reticulate; first more slender, articulated at the same level, second considerably shorter than third. Claws moderate, arched, compressed, laterally grooved, rather obtuse. Head, gular sac, and a small part of neck, destitute of feathers. Wings long and very broad, the second quill longest. Tail short, even, of twelve rather broad feathers. Tongue extremely small, broader than long; gular sac dilatable; œsophagus wide, with a dilatation at the lower part of the neck; proventriculus bulbiform; stomach a powerful gizzard, roundish, with large muscular fasciculi not disposed into distinct muscles, the epithelium very thick, longitudinally fissured; intestine very long, of moderate width; cœca two slight knobs.
364. 1. Platalea Ajaja, Linn. Roseate Spoonbill.
Plate CCCXXI. Male.
Bill greyish-blue, at the base mottled with dusky; feet pale lake; head yellowish-green; space around the eye and gular sac orpiment-orange; a band of black from the lower mandible to the occiput; feathers of the neck white; back and wings rose-coloured; lower parts of a deeper colour; tuft of recurved feathers on fore neck, a broad band across the wing, along the cubitus, and the upper and lower tail-coverts, rich carmine, with silky lustre; shafts of quills and scapulars light carmine; on each side of the lower part of the neck a patch of pale ochre; tail-feathers ochre-yellow, but at the base roseate.
Male, 303/4, 53. Female, 28, 48.
Constant resident in the Texas, South Florida, and as far eastward as North Carolina, where it is however very rare. Occasionally in summer up the Mississippi to Natchez. Breeds in flocks on trees, low bushes, or cactuses.
Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea Ajaja, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 123.
Platalea Ajaja, Bonap. Syn. p. 346.
Roseate Spoonbill, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 79.
Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea Ajaja, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 188.