546 THE SACKED IBIS — SCARLET IBIS ATOCET. 



THE SACRED IBIS. 



The Sacred Ibis inhabits Egypt, but does not seem to breed there. 

 This is the bird so frequently depicted in the hieroglyphics as playing 

 B conspicuous part in religious ceremonies. Their mummies are con 

 Btantly found in the tombs, and in one of these mummies Cuvier dis- 

 covered remnants of skin, and scales of snakes. It is a migratory 

 bird, appearing simultaneously with the rise of the Kile, and depart- 

 ing as the inundation subsides. The Sacred Ibis is about the size of 

 an ordinary fowl. 



THE SCARLET lEIS. 



This brilliant and exclusively American species inhabits chiefly 

 "unthin the truj>ics, abounding in the West India and Bahama Islands, 

 and south of the equator, at least, as far as Brazil. In the adult bird 

 the plumage is of a unitorm bright scarlet, only varied by the blacki.-h 

 brown on the outer web and tips of the quills. The length is twenty- 

 four inches, the wing measures ten inches and the tail three inches. 

 The flight of this Ibis is lofty and strong, and it utters a lond and 

 pecidiar crv as it passes through the air. They migrate in the summer 

 (about Julv and August), into the States of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, 

 and South Carolina; but retire into ^Mexico, or the Caribbean Islands, 

 at the a]>proach of cool weather. They generally associate in num- 

 bers, frequenting the borders of the sea, and the banks and estuanea 

 of neighboring rivers, feeding on small fry, shell-fish, Crustacea, 

 worms, and insects, which they collect at the ebbing of the tide. 

 They are said to be in the habit of perching on trees in companies ; 

 but lay their eggs, which are greenish, on the ground, amidst the tall 

 grass of the marshes, on a slight nest of leaves. When just hatched the 

 young are black, soon changing to gray, but are nearly white before 

 they are able to fly : by degrees they attain their red plumage, which 

 is not complete until the third year. The young and old associate 

 in distinct bands. In the countries where they abound they are 

 sometimes domesticated, and accompany the poultry. The Ibia 

 shows great coura^re in attacking the fowls, and will even defend 

 itielf from, the insidious attacks of the cat. It is generally esteemed 

 as good food ; and its rich and gaudy plumage is used by the Brazil- 

 ians for various ornaments. 



THE AVOCET. 



The bill in the genus Eecurvirostra is exactly the reverse of that in 

 the genus Cracticoruis, the curve being upwards instead of down- 

 wards. The common Avocet is spread throughout the warmer 

 regions of Europe, and is also found in some parts of Africa. It ia 

 -ery common in Holland, and is frequently seen on the eastern coasts 



