80 



ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 



portion of head and neck (except lower portion of the latter), legs, and feet, black ; "collar round 

 lower neck bright scarlet; iris brown." Wing, 24.50; tail, 9.50 ; culmen, 9.75 ; tarsus, 11.25; 



middle toe, 4.50. 



This species is of accidental occurrence within the limits of the United States. 

 There is but one record of its capture, and that very imperfect. It is said to have 

 occurred near Galveston, Texas. The Jabiru, or American Stork, appears to have 

 much in common, in its manner of life, with the Ciconlidce of the Old World. It is 

 to be met with in portions of Central America and the larger portion of South 

 America, but is of rare occurrence farther north. It is abundant on the seaboard 

 and on the rivers of Demerara, and mention of its presence there is occasionally 

 made by Mr. C. B. Brown in his •' Canoe and Camp Life in British Guiana." He 

 speaks of frequently meeting with it, in company with Ardea cocoi, and of the pecu- 

 liar and striking appearance it presents, Avith its long, stout, up-curved beak, black 

 bare head, and scarlet-banded neck. When wounded and brought to bay, it will 

 inflate the skin of the scarlet-colored portion of its neck like a great bladder. It 

 stands fully five feet in height, and walks with a slow and stately tread. On one 

 occasion he passed near one of the nests of this bird. It was on a lofty tree, and 

 appeared to be a large flat platform, on the edge of which two young Jabirus 

 were standing. It was seemingly in all respects a complete counterpart of the 

 familiar nest of the White Stork of Europe. An egg in the cabinet of Count Turati, 

 of ^Nlilan, Italy, is of a rounded oval shape, of a uniform olive-green color, and meas- 

 ures 3.33 inches by 2.20. 



Genus TANTALUS, Likn^us. 



Tantalus, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, I. ly.'SS, 140 ; ed. 12, I. 1766, 240 (type, T. locidator, Linn.). 

 Tantalides, Heichenb. Hand-b. 1851, p. xiv. Same type. (Not of Waoler, li'^-I, = Plegadis, 

 Kaui>.) 



Gen. Char. Large, Stork-like birds, with long legs, neck, and beak, the latter attenuated and 

 decurved terminally, much as in the true Ibises. Bill much thickened at the base, both vertically 

 and laterally, much attenuated terminally, where almost abruptly, but not greatly, decurved. 

 Nostrils bored directly into the bony substance of the bill, the maxilla destitute of any trace of a 

 nasal gi'oove. Legs covered with small longitudinally hexagonal scales. Toes long, very slender, 



