GLOSSY IBIS. 495 



the outer two a little sinuate on the inner web. Some of the 

 inner secondaries, Avhen the wing is closed, reach to about an 

 inch of the end of the longest primary. The tail is short, 

 even, or very slightly emarginate. 



The bill is greenish-black, toward the end tinged with 

 brown ; the bare space on the sides of the head green ; the 

 hides brown ; the feet greenish-black ; the claws dusky. 

 The upper parts in general are glossy dark purplish-green. 

 The upper part and sides of the head dark purplish-brown ; 

 the neck all round, the fore part of the back, anterior margin 

 of the wings, breast, abdomen, and tibial feathers, dark 

 brownish-red ; the lower wing-coverts dark green. 



Length to end of tail 24 inches ; bill along the ridge 5 1 -, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 5-^ ; wing from flexure 

 11^; tail 4^; bare part of tibia 2^; tarsus 3^- ; hind toe 

 i-i, its claw -fa ', second toe 1\%, its claw -fe ; third toe 2yV, 

 its claw -fe ; fourth toe l\% , its claw -^ . 



Female. — The female is similar to the male. 



Habits. — The Glossy Ibis is very extensively distributed 

 on the old continent, being found from India and Egypt to 

 Siberia, and the northern parts of Europe. Wagler states 

 that it is frequent in Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Austria, 

 Bavaria, Switzerland, many parts of Germany and Italy ; 

 also in the Uralian Desert, about the Caspian and Black Seas, 

 in Siberia and the countries bordering upon it ; as well as in 

 Egypt and some of the Indian Isles. Several individuals 

 have been obtained in various parts of England, from Corn- 

 wall and Devonshire to Northumberland ; but in that country 

 it is merely an occasional or accidental visitant ; and, I 

 believe, has very seldom .been seen in Scotland, although I 

 have seen skins of two individuals shot there : one in Ayr- 

 shire, the other near Banchory, Kincardineshire. It is not, 

 it appears, permanently resident in any part of Europe, but 

 migrates to Asia in the end of autumn. It is said to fre- 

 quent the shores of rivers and lakes, and to feed upon insects, 

 worms, mollusca, and vegetable substances. 



Like the White Ibis, this species was held in high vene- 



