170 SPOONBILL.
as far as the second joint of the outer, and the first joint of the
inner one; claws, black. The webs are hollowed out on their front
edge.
The female is rather less than the male, but otherwise she is of
the same appearance, except that the crest is rather shorter, and
the gorget on the breast is paler in colour.
I n the young of nearly or quite full growth, the hill is half an
inch shorter than in the old birds; it is of a dark colour, with a
shade of yellowish red. Iris, at first whitish grey, subsequently
brown; the bare parts about the head are paler than in the old
b i r d ; the occipital crest is wanting. The dorsal plumes arc also absent.
