GRALL.E. 24i 



[The Black Stork ( 1. nigra, Lin.).— Blackish, with rich purnle reflections, and the belly white. It frequents 

 retired marshes, and builds in the forests. 



Among foreign species, we may distinguish 



The Adjutants [Jrgala, Benn.], — 

 Or bare-necked Storks, the beak of which is still larger and slighter ; and among them 



The Pouched Adjutants (Ard. d/ibia, Gmelin ; A. argala, Lin.) ; winch have an appendage under the middle of 

 the'thrnat resembling a great sausage, and from beneath the wings of which are procured those light downy fea- 

 thers, that are made into tufts called Maribuiis. Two specie? of them are known ; one from Senegal, with a 

 uniform mantle, [die. maribou, Tern.), the other from India, of which the wing-coverts are bordered with white, 

 (C. argala, Tem.). — Their large beak enables them to capture birds on the wing. Add C. capillata. Tern. 



The Jaeirus (Mycteria, Lin.), — 

 Which were separated by Linnaeus from Ardea, are very closely allied to the Storks, and much more 

 so than the latter are to the Herons ; the moderate opening of their beak, their nostrils, the reticu- 

 lated envelope of their legs, together with the considerable palmature of the toes, are absolutely the 

 same as in the Storks, which they further resemble in their mode of life. Their peculiarity cousists in 

 having the beak slightly curved upwards towards its extremity. 



The best-known species (.1/. amerirana, Lin.), is very large, and white, with a bare head and neck, invested with 

 a black skin, the lower part of which is red ; the occiput alone has some white feathers, and the beak and feet are 

 black. It is found along the borders of pools and marshes in South America, where it preys on reptiles and fish. 

 The Ciconia ephippiryncha, Ruppell, only differs from M. senegalensis, Latham, in being drawn from the recent 

 specimen. 



The Umbkes (Scopus, Brisson) — 



Are only distinguished from the Storks by their compressed beak, the trenchant ridge of which is 



inflated towards the base, and the nostrils are prolonged by a groove which runs parallel with the 



ridge to its tip, which is slightly hooked. 



One species only is known, the Crested Umbre (Sc. umbretta), as large as a Crow, and of an umber colour, the 

 male crested. It is diffused over all Africa. 



The Anastomes (Mans, Laccp. ; Anastomxis, Illig.) — 

 Are sepatated from the Storks by about as trivial a character as that which distinguishes the Jabirus. 

 The mandibles of their beak come in contact only at the base and tips, leaving a wide interval 

 between their edges, at the medial portion. Even this seems to be the result of detrition, for the 

 fibres of the horny substance appear as though it had been worn away. 



They are East Indian birds, one of which is whitish (Ardea ponticeriana, Gm.), the other greyish-brown 

 (./. ruroinaiideliana, Sonnerat). Perhaps the latter is merely the young of the former. Both have black qui]] and 

 tail-feathers. A third, of an iridescent black {An. lame/tiger, Tem.), is remarkable for the stem of each of its fea- 

 thers terminating in a narrow horny disk, which passes beyond the vane. 



The Dromes (Dramas, 1'aykull) — 

 Bear a close resemblance to the preceding, having nearly the same feet and contour; but their com- 

 pressed beak, the base of which is a little inflated beneath, is pierced with oval nostrils, and the 

 mandibles close completely. 



We know only one species, from the shores of the Bed Sea and banks of the Senegal (Dromas ardcola, Payk.) 

 with white plumage, and part of the mantle and wings black. 



The Tantals (Tantaltu, Lin.) — 

 Have the feet, nostrils, and beak of the Storks, except that the ridge of the latter is rounded, and it» 

 tip gradually carved downwards, and Blightly emarginated on each side: a portion of the head, and 

 sometimes of the neck, is bare of feathers. 



The Wood IbU of North America (T. loculator, Lin.).— As large as a stork, but more slender ; white, with the 

 quill and tail-feather* black, as is aUn tlie naked skin of the head and neck. It is found in both America*, 

 appi aring in each during the rain) season, and frequents muddy waters, where it seek* principally for I e a. It* 

 gait la slow, and upeel unlivery. 



The African species (T. ibU, Lin.), which is white, slightly shaded with purple on the wings, and has ■ yellow 

 beak, and the naked ikin of the visage red, was long regarded by naturalists as the bird so revei >■ I by the sndeni 

 Eg) ptiana under the name of IbU .• but recent researches have proved thai the real lius is ■ much small* 

 which we will notice presently. The bird now under consideration is not even commonl] (bund in Kgypt, bul is 

 brought chiefly from Senegal. 



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