IBIDID.E THE IBISES. 106* 



FAMILY IBIDID^J. THE IBISES. 



CHAR. Wading birds of medium to rather large size, the bill much elongated, more or 

 less attenuated toward the end, and bent downward, more or less decidedly, in sickle- 

 fashion, like that of the Curlews (Numenius). Nostrils sub-basal, latero- superior, with 

 more or less of a membrane above and behind; nasal fossae continued forward to the very 

 extremity of the maxilla in the form of a deep, narrow, continuous groove. Hallux almost 

 incumbent; claws slender, projecting far beyond the ends of the toes. 



The true Ibises form an eminently natural group of wading 

 birds, distinguished from their nearest allies by the above char- 

 acters. The species are moderately numerous (about twenty-six 

 being known), and are dispersed over the warmer regions of the 

 the earth America possessing a larger number than any other 

 country (ten species, all but one of which are peculiar, or 

 more than one third of those known). Of the exotic species, 

 Africa possesses about nine (two of them in common with south- 

 ern Europe), Asia five, and Australia two. A very great diver- 

 sity of form and plumage is to be seen among the various 

 species, some being trim and graceful in their build, and others 

 uncouth, with Vulture-like head and neck some plain in colors, 

 while others are among the most brilliant of birds. The scarlet 

 plumage of Guara rubra is not surpassed in nature for pureness 

 and intensity of color, and the beautiful decomposed tertial 

 plumes of Ibis oethiopica are scarcely excelled in gracefulness. 

 The species of Molybdophanes, Tfieristicus, and Cercibis, however, 

 possess but little beauty. 



The family is divisible into two well-defined sections, which may 

 be termed subfamilies, distinguished mainly by the character of 

 the tarsal scutellation. They may be defined as follows: 



Subfamily Ibidinae. Front of the tarsus covered with hexagonal scales. 

 Subfamily Guarinse. Front of the tarsus with largo transverse Bcutellae. arranged 

 In a more or less continuous single series. 



