360 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ZOOLOGY, VOL. IX. 



Genus PLEGADIS Kaup. 



77. Plegadis autumnalis (HASSELQ.). 

 GLOSSY IBIS. 



Distr.: Warmer portions of eastern hemisphere. In America 

 found casually in southeastern United States and the West Indies. 

 Stragglers have been taken as far north as New England, Illinois, 

 and Wisconsin. 



Adult: General plumage, chestnut; wing coverts, back and front of 

 head showing greenish and sometimes bronzy reflections. 



The immature birds have the plumage more brownish and the front 

 of the head slightly mottled; the back, greenish; under parts, dusky 

 brown. 



Length, 25; wing, 11.25; bill, 5-4- 



Mr. Julius Hurter (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, 1881, p. 124) records 

 an immature specimen taken in Marion Co., 111., near St. Louis, in 

 February, 1880, which was identified by Prof. Ridgway as this species, 

 but later Mr. Ridgway (Ornithology of 111., 1895, P- II2 ) suggests 

 the possibility of its being an immature specimen of guarauna on 

 account of the coloring of the legs and bare skin in front of the eye 

 in life, as described to him in a letter from Mr. Hurter. Nelson 

 writes: " A very rare visitant. I know of but two or three instances 

 of its occurrence." In Wisconsin, according to Kumlien and Hoi- 

 lister, seven specimens have been observed and one shot on Lake 

 Koshkonong in 1872, and another was killed on Horicon Marsh, in 

 1879. It has also been recorded from Michigan (Cook), and Iowa 

 (Anderson). 



Suborder CICONI^. Storks. 



Family CICONIID^. Storks and Wood 



Ibises. 



Two species of this family occur in North America and one of 

 these, the Wood Ibis, has been taken in Illinois and Wisconsin. They 

 are gregarious, nesting in colonies usually (but not always ) in high 

 trees. They frequent heavily timbered swamps, wooded rivers, and 

 lagoons 



