f
marks, and accompanied by a caft of ferruginous : the throat immediately beneath the bill is
aliò of the fame colour, and bare of feathers: the legs and feet are black. This bird frequents
marihy places, and is alfo a frequent vifitant on the fea-coafts of different countries.
It is not met with in England except as an occaflonal ftraggler. In Holland and Germany it
is not uncommon. Mr. Willoughby, in his Ornithology, mentions a grove of tall trees at
Sevcnhyes, near Leyden, in which thefe birds ufed annually to build, in the manner of herons :
they lay about four eggs. They feed on filli, frogs, &c. in the manner of herons. The
grove above mentioned, in which thefe birds ufed to breed in the laft century, is now, according
to Mr. Pennant, decayed, and the birds are not feen there at prefent. Befides this
common fpecics of Platalea, there is another fpecies, much more elegant in its appearance,
which is a native of the fouthcrn parts of America, and is of a beautiful deep rofe-colour or
crimibn. There is alfo a fpecies of this genus remarkable for its minutencfs, and which is likewife
a native of America : it is the Platalea pygma:a of Linnxus.
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