NATURAL HISTORY. 



347 



Sub-family/. . Tantalina:. 

 IBIS. (Gr. l/fcf.) 



Religiosa (Lat. sacred}, the Sacred Ibis. 



The SACRED IBIS inhabits Egypt, but does not seem to breed 

 there. This is the bird so frequently depicted in the hiero- 

 glyphics as playing a conspicuous part in religious ceremonies. 

 Their mummies are constantly found in the tombs, and in one 

 of these mummies Cuvier discovered remnants of skin, and scales 

 of snakes. The Sacred Ibis is about the size of an ordinary 

 fowl. 



