IBIS FALCINELLUS VAR. ORDII, GLOSSY IBIS. 517 



Subfamily Ibidin^ : True Ibises. 



IBIS FALCINELLUS var. OKDII (Bp.) Cones. 



GIossj or Bay Ibis. O 'M) 



Tantalns mexicauus, Ord, Jonin. Phila. Acad, i, 1817, 53 (Xew Jersey). 



IbisfakineUus, Bp., Obs. Wils. lc;25, No. 199 ; Am. Orn. iv, 1831, 23, pi. 23, f. 1 ; Syn, 1628, 

 312.— NUTT., Man. ii, 1834, 88.— AuJO., Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 608, pi. 387; Svn. 

 257 ; B. Am. vi, 1843, 50, pi 358.— Emm., Cat. B. Mass. 1835, 5.— Peab., Rep.' B. 

 Mass. 1839, 365.— Linsl., Am. Jonrn. Sci. xliv, 1843, 266 (Connecticut).- Putx., 

 Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 18.56, 230 (Massachnsetts).— Carot. Pr. Bost. Soc. iii, 313, 333, 

 3.55; iv, 346.— Allex, Bnll. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 361 (Florida).— Hudson, P. Z. S. 

 1870, 799 (biosrapby).— RiDGW., Ann. Lye. X. Y. x, 1874, 386 (Illinois). 



IMs falcineUus var. ordii, CoiKS, Key, 1872, 2()3. 



lUs'ordii, Bi'., List, 1838, 49.— Bd., B. N. A., 1858, 635.— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Rep. 1860, 

 No. 190 (one or two occasions). — Allen, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1864, 86 (Massacbn- 

 setts, occasional, irregular). — Law1{., Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii, 1866, 292 (New York, 

 rare). — Coues, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1868, 290 (Massacbusetts, exceptionally). — 

 CouES, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 123 (South Carolina, summer).— Tui:n., B. E. Pa. 

 1819, 44 (New Jersey, occasional). — Ma yn., Guide, 1870, 145 (Massacbusetts). — 

 Allen, Am. Nat. iii, 1870, 637 (Massachusetts and New Hampshire). 



FalcineUus ordii,Bv., Consp. ii, 1855, 159.— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 96 (Arizona). 

 In the present uncertainty attending the discrimination of species, I only quote the 



references to the ordinary North American bird. 



Hah. — United States, southerly, straying north to Massachusetts and Ohio. 



The Glossy Ibis is not fignred in Wilson's Ornithology, and remained 

 an unknown inhabitant of the United States nj) to the termination of 

 that author's labors. In 1817 a specimen was taken in J^ew Jersy, and 

 announced by Mr. Ord under the name of Tantalus mexicanus. Since 

 that time it has been found at irregular intervals along our coast, chiefl.v 

 in the Southern and Middle districts, but occasionally as far north as 

 Massachusetts; where, however, its occurrence must be considered as 

 accidental. Audubon says that he found it in flocks in Texas, but gives 

 only a meagre account of its habits. Nuttall's article is mainly an ac- 

 count of Ibises in general, devoted principally to mention of ancient, 

 and particularly Egyptian, chronicles and superstitions regarding them. 

 The United States species was first separated under the name of ordii 

 by Bonaparte, 1838. 



The eggs of Ibises are very different from those of Ilerons. The shell 

 is heavier, rougher, and more granular, the difference in texture being 

 very apparent ; and are ovoidal, not ellip.soidal, with considerable dif- 

 ference in the degree of convexity of the two ends. Those of the Glossy 

 Ibis measure from 1.90 by 1.45 to 2.10 by 1.50, and are of a dull greenish- 

 blue color, without markings. The number usually deposited is believed 

 to be three. 



^9-^} 



Family ARDEID^: Herons. 



Subfamily Ardeinje: True Ilerons. 



AEDEA HERODIAS, Linn. 

 Great Blue Heron. 



Ardea hcrodins, Ltnn., Syst. Nat. i, 176(i, 237 (based on Cates., iii. 10, and Bni.ss., v, 

 416).— Om., Syst. Nat. 1788, 630.— Lath., Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 692 (Ant. Zool. ii, 

 234 ; r:en. Syn. v, 85).— Wils., Am. Orn. viii. 1814. 2-^, pi. 65. (ig. 5.— Ti:v.m., Man. 

 11, 1820, .56C).—Bi'..Ob.s. Wils. 182.5, No. 188; Svn. 182-. 304: List, 1838, 47 ; Consp. 

 ii, 1855, 112.— Sw. &, Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831. 373 (Hudson's Bay).— Nirrr., Man. 

 ii, 1834, 42.— AUD., Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 87 ; v, 599 ; pi. 211 ; Syu. 1839, 265 ; B. 



