SUBORDER HJliJiUJJiU-NJub I HERONS AND THEIR ALLIES. 



Family TANTALIDJE : Ibises, &c. 



Ibises inhabit the wanner jjarts of both hemispheres. They are nearly related to 

 Herons, but ditier in the shape of the bill, sometimes thick and heavy, or even spoon- 

 shaped, sometimes very long, slender, and decurved, like a Curlew's ; in the more or 

 less extensive baldness of the head, absence of pectination of the middle claw, and 

 other characteristics. We have several species, the Wood, Glossy or Bay, White, and 

 Red Ibis, and the Spoonbill, which also belongs here. The Jabiru of tropical America 

 {Myctcria amoicana), may be brought under this family, though generally referred to the 

 Storks (CicoHiirfa). This singular bird was once taken in Texas, though the fact is 

 known to few, the bird having been but lately introduced to our fauna (Coues, Check- 

 list. 1874, App. 135, No. i48bis). 



Two species of Ibis, the Wood and Bay, are known to occur so near the Missouri 

 region, that I shall introduce them here, confident that they have a place about the 

 mouth of the river, though not yet actually detected there. 



Subfamily Tantalin^ : Wood Ibises. 



TANTALUS LOCULATOE, Liuu. 

 Wood Ibis. 



Tantalus locnlaior,'Lii<N., Syst. Nat. i, 17CC, 240 (Gates., i, 81 ; Briss., v, 335).— Gm., 

 Syst. Nat. i, 17H8, 647.— Lath., Ind. Orn. ii, 1790 ( Wood Ibis, Arct. Zool. ii. No. 

 360; Geu.Svn. v, 104 ; I'l. Enl.SGB).— Wils., Am.Orn. viii, 1814,39,pl. GO, f. 1.— 

 Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 197 ; Syn. 1828, 310 ; List, 1838, 48 ; Consp. ii, 1855, 

 149.— Wage., Isis, 1831, 530.— Nutt., Man. ii, 1834, 82.— Alio., Orn. Biog. iii, 

 1835, 128, pi. 216; Syn. 1839, 259; B. Am. vi, 1843, 64, pi. 361.— Kekn., Pr. 

 Phila. Acad, v, 1856, 391 (Southern Illinois).— Gund., J. f. 0. iv, 1856, 348 

 (Cuba).— Bi)., B. N. A. 1858, 682.— Scl., Ibis, i, 1859, 227 (Guatemala).— Scl., 

 P. Z. S. 1860, 253 (Orizaba) ; ihid. 290 (Ecuador).— Lawk., Ann. Lvc. 1861, 334 

 (Panama).— Duess., Ibis, 1866, 32 (Texas).— Scl. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1866, 199 ; 

 1873, 305 (Ucayali, Peru).— Wheat., Ohio Agiic. Rep. 1860, p. 21 of reprint 

 (quotes Illinois and Wisconsin). — Coves, Pr. I'hila. Acad. 1866, 96 (Colorado 

 River up to Fort Mojavc).— Coues, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 123 (South Caro- 

 lina).- Aleex, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 360 (Florida).— Peez., Orn. Bras. 305 

 (Brazil).— K'EEXii., Vid. Med. Nat. Forh. 1870, 23 (Brazil).— Coues, Key, 1872, 

 262, lig. 175. — RiDGW., Ann. Lye. N. Y. x, 1874, 385 (Illinois). 



Tantalus phimkoUis, Srix, Av. Bras. pi. 85. 



" Ibis naiidasnon ; I. nandapoa, Vieill." (Gray tj"- Bp.) 



Hah. — South Atlantic and Gulf States, and across in corresponding latitudes to tlie 

 Colorado River. North to Ohio, Illinois, and the Carolinas (accidentally to IVun- 

 sylvania, Chester County ; Viucdit Haniard, in letter to I'rof. Jltiiid). Cuba. Mexico. 

 Central anil South America. La I'lata (Jlunneintcr). 



The Woo'.l Ibis is a remarkable and interesting bird. In its general 

 size, shape and color, it might be likened to a Ciane, being about Ibnr 

 feet long, and standing still higher when erect; white in color, with 

 black-tipped wings and bliick tnil. The head is ju'culiar, being entirely 

 bald in the adnlt bird, and having an enormonsly thick, hciivy bill, 

 tapering and n little decnrved at the end. In I'^lorida it is soii:etiines 

 called the " ( Ijinnet "' ; on the Colonido it is known as the \\'ater Turkey. 



Mr. Allen found the birds common in the Upper Saint John's, in 

 Floridii. " Iti ]\Iarch they were undergoing their spring moidt. and were 

 conse(jUently in poor phimage. According to J)r. Jlryant, who, so far 

 as I am aware, is tlie fust and only writer who has minutely described 

 their eggs and breeding habits, incubation is generally commence*! l>y 

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