GLOSSY IBIS. 499 



the same length as, or very little longer than, the middle toe 

 with its claw, are covered anteriorly with scutella in their 

 whole length, excepting about half an inch at the upper part. 

 Ibis rubra and Ibis alba, in which the bill is a little thicker, 

 have the tarsi similarly proportioned as to length, but stronger, 

 and with transverse rows of scales below as well as above. 

 Ibis religiosa has the bill and tarsi much stouter, and the latter 

 without any scutella, but in place of them hexagonal scales. 

 Wagler says that both these species, and Ibis Macei, which 

 differs extremely little, if at all, from Ibis religiosa, have scu- 

 tella in the middle of the tarsus ; but in my specimens the 

 acrotarsia, are entirely reticulate, as is also the case in Savigny's 

 figures of the Egyptian Ibis. All these Ibises differ in the 

 extent of the bare space on the head, it being in one confined 

 to the lores, and in another extending over the whole head, 

 and even the neck almost to its base. Now if, notwith- 

 standing, all these birds are of one genus, certainly, a fortiori, 

 scutella te tarsi and reticulate tarsi may exist in the same 

 family. On the principle of the very minute division adopted 

 by some, every single species of Ibis ought to form a genus. 

 It is very strange that neither Mr. SAvainson, nor the Prince 

 of Musignano, both famous for instituting genera on slight 

 grounds, should not have separated the Ibis religiosa, with 

 its bare head and neck, decomposed and decurved secon- 

 daries, and reticulate acrotarsia, from Ibis falcinellus, which 

 has not one of these characters. Surely the differences 

 are much greater than those between Tringa and Pelidna, 

 Squatarola and Charadrius, Picus and any one of its dismem- 

 berments, Astur and Accipiter. Ibis Fulcinellus has, how- 

 ever, been made the type of a genus ; and, I think, without 

 much impropriety. 



