PLATALEA LEUCORODI A , Linn.
Spoonbill.
Platalea leucorodia, Linn. Faun. Suee., p. 86.
---------- nivea, Guv. Regn, Anim., tom. i. p. 482.
leucorodius, Glog. Schles. Fauna, p. 60.
Platea leucorodia, Leach, Syst. Cat. of Indig. Mamin, and Birds in Brit. Mus., p. 33.
T h e Spoonbills constitute un exceedingly well-defined genus o f Grallatorial birds, comprising six o r seven
species, one o r other of which inhabit Europe, Africa, India, Japan, and Australia. Generally speaking,
only a single species frequents any one country ; in Australia, however, there are two, the Platalea regia
and P. fianptt ; in there are also said to be two, P . major and P . minor ; while the faunas o f North
and &o«Mk America are adorned with but a single species, the beautiful P . ajaja. in structure the genera
Platshe, Put, and Tantalus are all closely affined ; but the modification in the form of the bill leads each to
assume .a somewhat different mode of life, action, and economy ; they all, however, frequent low humid and
marshy situations, and live on the various inhabitants of such watery wastes. The Ibises and Tan tali feed
almost exclusively upon frogs, small fish, and moilusks, for the seizing of which their bills are arhnii-abiy
adapted ; the Spoonbills, on the other hand, although sometimes partaking o f the same kind o f food, feed
more Exclusively on small crustaceans and shelled moilusks, aquatic worms, and seeds o f water-plants, for
the gathering o f which their bills are equally well adapted. Most of, if not all, the Spoonbills are subject to
a change o f plumage at fthe nuptial season, which appears to be equally shared by both sexes ; the P.
leucorodia o f Europe and the P . regia o f Australia assume at that time a beautiful and full crest of
lengthened feathers ; and an assumption of ornamental feathers o r colouring takes place on .some part of the
• body in the other members of the genus.
In times gone by, the Common Spoonbill (P . leucorodia). was abundant in many o f the marshy districts of
England during the months of summer, and regularly bred in some of them, especially in those of our
eastern counties ; and that it still resorts to its old haunts, though in greatly diminished numbers, is
evidenced by the fact th at scarcely a year passes away without one, two, o r more being .«>•.•< ». or killed in the
marshes o f Rornney or the broads of Suffolk and Norfolk ; these ocetiircnets, however, arc too numerous to
be detailed here. Whenever, during the vernal and autumnal migration of the Spoonbill, the direction of
the wind happens to be favourable for a journey to Britain, a few are almost certain to visit our shores.
Once landed, persecution awaits them ; every gunner is their enemy, and they are not allowed to rest until
the fatal shot terminates their wandering. Every writer on British Birds has recorded numerous instances
of its capture in our islands, from Scilly to Orkney and Shetland, from Norfolk, in the
additk
of Plyu
eastern part
i most western county o f Ire lan d ; these 1 shall not repeat, but proceed to give some o f tl
ta! informatHN
;>• in Holland,
Oct
rsbc y Reservoir,
favoured me with the
“ They were first c
and shot at, flew to s
I have more recently acquired, ending with an interesting letter respecting the bird's
ent to me by P. L. Sclater, Esq.
jrils in the ‘ Zoologist ’ for 1863 that on the 3rd of November, 1862, “ three
• t shot, out o f a flock of four, on the banks o f St. Germain's River, in the vicinity
;•!>«!!? birds o f the year,” Mr. Bond informed me of two that were shot
nsr, sHtvl »ear Lydd, in Kent—and o f two others, a male and a female, killed at
the ‘23rd o f October, 1865, respecting which Mr.Middlesex, o J . E. Harting has
following par
bserved a t Kii
I t is thought that one o f the birds w:
other. Had this not been the case
pursued by two gunners, who, findii
employed a third person to go round th
a favourable position under a bank, wh<
desired effect; for the birds came rij
gunners, and by two o r three labourer
Herons, but much faster, and with the
back, Heron-like, between the shouidc
I found on examination that thev
le edge o f the water, and, on being disturbed
k of geese in a field adjoining a farm-yard.
¿rapping down to rest, was followed by the
Id have gooe away. However, they were
«by and could not be approached directly,
■ive them, whilst they concealed themselves in
es formed a good screen. This plan had the
)oth killed. I was informed by one o f the
s on the wing, that they flew somethin# like
length, like a Duck, instead of being thrown
I to utter any note. ,
i o f the year. The bill, o f a brownish flesh