White Ibis 75 



The female is slightly smaller ; the young bird has brown on the 

 wings, and does not attain its full plumage till the third year. 



Distribution. — From Florida and the Gulf states south to the Straits 

 of Magellan. A rare wanderer to Illinois and Colorado. 



The Spoonbill has been twice noticed in Colorado. Trippe reported 

 to Morrison that a female was caught, and died shortly after, near 

 Silverton, in June, 1888, and H. G. Smith saw one in Denver, which 

 was said to have been killed near Pueblo in August, 1890. 



Family IBIDID^E. 



Bill long and doAvn-curved throughout, the sides 

 somewhat compressed, a longitudinal groove on each 

 side, at the base of which are the nostrils ; tail of twelve 

 rectrices ; tarsi reticulate or scutellate. 



Genus GUARA. 



Face, including the chin, naked in the adults ; head not crested ; 

 claws stout and strongly curved ; plumage not metalHc, either white 

 or scarlet. 



Key of the Species. 



a. Plumage white. G. alba, p. 75. 



b. Plumage scarlet. G. rubra, p. 76. 



White Ibis. Guara alba. 



A.O.U. Checkhst no 184— Colorado Records— H. G. Smith 96, p. 65 ; 

 Cooke 97, p. 59. 



Description. — Adult — Plumage white except the tips of the wings, 

 which are black ; iris pearly-blue, bare face, bill and legs orange to 

 carmine. Length 26; wing 11-75; tail 5-0; cuknen 5 to 7 ; 

 tarsus 3-5. 



The female is slightly smaller ; young birds are dull brown above, 

 and have less bare skin about the face. 



Distribution. — The southern United States north to North Carolina, 

 Illinois and Utah ; south to the West Indies and northern South 

 America. 



A single instance of the occurrence of the White Ibis is reported 

 from Colorado : H. G. Smith identified a specimen shot at Barr Lake 

 near Denver in 1890. 



