IBIDIDiE — THE IBISES — PLEGADIS, 95 



primary-coverts, primaries, and lower secondaries brighter bronze-green ; upper secondaries more 

 bronzy, with a purjile shade in certain lights. Under-surface of wings and tail more burnished, 

 metallic green, bn)nze, and purple, the tint ViU'ying with the inclination to the lights ; axillars less 



shining, and more violaceous ; crissum violet-purple and green, like the rump. Bill black ; bare 

 loral space greenish ; legs and feet greenish blackish.^ 



Young {changing from first to second plumage): Head and neck distinctly streaked with dusky 

 In'own and white, the dusky streaks wider and more blackish on the pileum, the whitish streaks 

 gradually becoming more indistinct below. Entire lower parts plain siuiff-brown, with a soft 

 purplish tinge, especiallj^ on the breast and til)i8e ; crissum, metallic green and violet. Upper parts 

 dark, metallic violet-purple, green, and lu'onze, tlie first largely predominating, the last in traces ; 

 the back darkest and most uniform, the rump interspersed with bright dark-green feathers. A 

 few dark chestnut feathers interspersed over the anterior portion of the lesser wing-covert rejdon 

 (No. 57003, Greece). Young {changing from second to third plumage) : In general appearance 

 much like the preceding, but breast, abdomen, and tibiee mostly reddish chestnut, and the anterior 

 portion of the back and scapulars mixed with many feathers of the same color ; head and neck 

 much tinged witli chestnut, the streaks indistinct (No. 174.93, 9 > Hungary). 



[Note. — The Tantalus viridis of Gjielin (Syst. Nat. II. i. p. 648, no. 8, based on Green Ibis 

 of Latham, Synopsis, III. i. p. 114, no. 13) seems to be this species in incomplete first plumage, 

 or still retaining the downy covering of the head and neck.] 



Length, about 25 inches; expanse, 42; wing, 10.20-11.85 ; tail, 4.30-4.50; culmen, 4. . 30-5.45 ; 

 depth of bill, .50-60 ; tarsus, 2.90-4.30 ; middle toe, 2.10-2.80 ; bare portion of tibia, 1.70-3.10. 



Of this species, there are at present before us four adult specimens, two being from Europe and 

 two from America (Tortugas and Jamaica) ; between these there is not the slightest diflerence 

 whatever, beyond the individual discrepancies of size observable in all species of this family. 



The young oi P. falcinellus closely resendjles that of P. guarauna, but is rather darker colored, 

 the upper parts being much more violaceous, and the lower parts less grayish. There are two 

 specimens in the collection, — those described above. 



Tills species, identical with the well-known Bay or Glossy Ibis of Europe, occurs 

 irregularly in the eastern portion of the United States, and. has been known to breed 

 in Florida. It has been found on several occasions as far north as Massachusetts, 

 although nowhere abundant in the States bordering upon the Atlantic. It was first 

 described as a bird of North America by Mr. George Ord, from a specimen obtained 

 at Great Egg Harbor, May 7, 1817. About the same time another specimen Avas pro- 

 cured near Baltimore, and two others were taken in the District of Columbia. Mr. 

 Audubon states that in the spring of 1837 he saw flocks of this bird in Texas ; but 

 it is possible that the birds which he saw there Avere not of this species. They were 

 apparently only summer residents, associating with the White Ibis, along the grassy 

 margins of the rivers and bayous, going to and returning from their roosting-places in 

 the country. Its flight resembles that of its companion, the White Ibis. 



^ Audubon says : " Bill black ; bare part of head grayish blue ; iris hazel ; feet grayish black, claws 

 brown." 



