78 Birds of Colorado 



is strongly and compactly woven of dead reeds, about 

 a foot in diameter and well cupped. The eggs, usually 

 three sometimes five, are deep bluish-green and average 

 about 2-0 X 1-42. 



Family CICONIIDiE. 



The Storks are large birds with stout bills, longer 

 than the head, straight to the tip or sometimes slightly 

 decurved but without distinct grooves on either side ; 

 tibiae half bare ; front toes webbed at the base, outer 

 one specially so, and the claw of the middle toe not 

 pectinated. 



Genus MYCTERIA. 



Bill decurved at tip ; nostrils basal ; whole head and neck of adult 

 naked and scaly, and crowned with a horny plate ; tibiae bare for half 

 their length ; anterior toes webbed at the base. 



This genus, known until quite recently as Tantalus, has had its name 

 changed to Mycteria (see Allen, "Auk " xxv., p. 37). 



Only one species is recognized. 



Wood Ibis. Mycteria americana. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 188 — Colorado Records— Ridgway 79, p. 233 

 {Tantalus loculator) ; Morrison 89, p. 166 ; Cooke 97, pp. 60, 197 ; 

 Felger 03, p. 65. 



Description. — Adult — Plumage white throughout, except for the 

 wing-quills and tail-feathers, which are glossy black ; the under wing- 

 coverts pink m the breeding season ; iris brown, bill dingy yellow, 

 naked head and neck scaly, legs bluish. Length about 48 ; wing 19 ; 

 tail 7-10 ; culmen 9-0 ; tarsus 8-0. 



The female is smaller — wing 17. A young bird has the head and 

 neck covered with greenish-brown feathers, and the rest of the plumage 

 dull white. 



Distribution. — The southern United States, from the Carolinas and 

 California south to the West Indies and the Argentine ; casually to 

 middle and northern United States. 



An occasional wanderer to Colorado ; Mrs. Maxwell's collection 

 contained a young bird ; Carter reported its occurrence on the Blue 

 River, twenty- five miles below Breckenridge, on the evidence of awing 



