488 



TANTALIN^l. 



TANTALI AND ALLIED SPECIES. 



The Tantalinae, of which there are only three genera, Tan- 

 talus, Ibis, and Platalea, are birds of large or moderate size, 

 which in external aspect combine the characters of the 

 Herons or Storks and Curlews, and in their internal 

 organization are intermediate between these groups. They 

 have the head bare in front, sometimes over its whole 

 extent ; rather large in the Tantali, but small in some of 

 the Ibises. The neck is always elongated and slender. 

 The tongue extremely short, triangular, flattened ; the 

 oesophagus generally wide; the stomach moderately mus- 

 cular ; the intestine long, and having two generally very 

 small coeca, in which respect it differs from that of the 

 Herons. 



The legs are long, rather stout in some, slender in 

 others ; the tibia bare to a large extent ; the tarsus reticu- 

 late, but sometimes scutellate in front ; the four toes articu- 

 lated on the same level, the anterior long and webbed at the 

 base ; the claws arched, compressed, and rather obtuse. 



The plumage is blended, on the upper parts compact ; 

 its colouring in masses. The wings ample, with the second 

 or third quill longest. The tail short, of twelve feathers. 



The species belong exclusively to warm climates, and 

 none of them migrate to very cold countries for the purpose 

 of breeding. Their nests resemble those of the Heron 

 family, being rudely constructed, and placed on trees or on 

 the ground. Their eggs are few in number, oval or sub- 

 elliptical, and spotted. The young remain in the nest or its 

 vicinity until they are able to fly. Fishes, reptiles, crus- 



