Zoological Society. 231 



lus JEthiopicus. Ibis Macei, Cuv., Ann. Mus. 11. 125. White Ibis 

 •with purple black secondary quill decomposed feathers, Ind. Orn. 2. 

 706. 



Col. Sykes carefully compared the descriptions and measurements 

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

 present bird is the same. Col. Sykes puts into juxtaposition the 

 measurements of Cuvier's Mummy Ibis from Thebes and one of his 

 own birds : 



Mummy Ibis. Dukhun Ibis. 

 Inches. Inches. 



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



Head 1 -85 1 80 



Tibia 5 90 580 



Tarsus 4*01 380 



Middle toe 381 350 



Ulna 6-01 595 



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 decom- 

 posed, 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. Sykes 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 354- inches : tail 5*V to 5-rV. 

 Bill and head to occiput 7-rv to 9 T V inches. Bill to the gape 6-iV to 

 7xV inches. 



189. Ibis ignea. 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 view- 

 ed as the immature birds of Ibis falcinellus. Col. Sykes however has 

 seen so many of both in India, appearing in different 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 noir cendre j haut du dos et scapu- 

 laires d'un cendre brun," but of a rich fuscous brown, with brilliant 

 metallic reflections j differing also in the proportions of the internal 

 organization - t 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 inap- 

 plicable to the Ibis falcinellus, but applicable to the present species, 

 which at a short distance appears entirely black. Col. Sykes is there- 

 fore induced to adopt the opinion of those writers who considered the 

 bird distinct from Ibis falcinellus. Its measurements correspond with 

 those of the smaller species of Mummy Ibis given by Cuvier ; and it 

 agrees in plumage (intense blackish brown with metallic reflections, 



