161 



Tantalus JEthiopicus. Ibis Macei, Cuv., Ann. Mus. J 1. 125. 

 White Ibis with purple black secondary quill decomposed fea- 

 thers, Ind. Orn. 2. 706. 

 Col. Sykes carefully compared the descriptions and measurements 

 of the larger Mummy Ibis of Cuvier ; and is induced to believe 

 the present bird is the same. Col. Sykes puts into juxta- 

 position the measurements of Cuvier's Mummy Ibis from Thebes 

 and one of his own birds : 



Mummy Ibis. Dukhun Ibis. 

 Inche3. Inches. 



Length of beak and head together. . . . 8*27 8*15 



Head 1-85 1-80 



Tibia 5-90 5-80 



Tarsus 4*0 1 3-80 



Middle toe 3-81 3-50 



Ulna 6-01 5-95 



Hand 4-92 480 



The individual of which the measurements are given has the two 

 first quills tipped with violet, their shafts of the same colour, 

 and four of the secondary quills are also violet and with their 

 webs decomposed, according with Cuvier's description. The 

 violet colour is not so deep as in the ^Ethiopian Ibis ; but as in 

 all Col. Sykes's specimens (nine in number] the violet feathers 

 are in progress of development, the colour would no doubt 

 subsequently be darker. Cuvier mentions that the Mummy 

 Ibis varied a little in size. Col. S. has birds larger and smaller 

 than that of which the measurements are given. 



Appear in Dukhun in the cold weather only. Gregarious. 



Irides narrow, lake colour. Food water-crickets, crabs, beetles, 



shrimps. Length, inclusive of tail, 30 to 35-^ inches : tail 5 T 3 - 



to 5jV Bill and head to occiput 7 X V to 9 T V inches. Bill to 



the gape 6t% to 7 T V inches. 



189. Ibisignea. Tantalus igneus, Lath., Ind. Orn. 2. 708. 12. Ibis 



falcinellus, Temm., Man. d'Orn., 2nd Edit. 2. 596. 



Col. Sykes's birds, male and female, are identical with two Euro- 

 pean specimens in the British Museum labelled Ibis ignea, and 

 viewed as the immature birds of Ibis falcinellus. Col. Sykes 

 however has seen so many of both in India, appearing in dif- 

 ferent flocks at the same period of the year, and not having, 

 as M. Temminck describes the birds before they are three years 

 old, " partie inferieure du cou, poitrine, ventre, et cuisses d'un 

 noircendre* ; haut du dos et scapulaires d'un cendre brun," but 

 of a rich fuscous brown, with brilliant metallic reflections; 

 differing also in the proportions of the internal organization ; 

 and Dr. Latham moreover describes even the youngest birds 

 of Ibis falcinellus as characterized by reddish brown. Hero- 

 dotus speaks of the smaller Ibis as entirely black, a description 

 inapplicable to the Ibis falcinellus , but applicable to the present 

 species, which at a short distance appears entirely black. Col. 

 Sykes is therefore induced to adopt the opinion of those writers 

 who considered the bird distinct from Ibis falcinellus. Its 



