HIRDS— TANTALIDAK — IBIS OBDII, 



685 



IBIS ORDII, Roiiap. 



Glossy Ibis. 



11 Tantalus mtTicanus, Gmelin, SjsL Nat. I, 1789, 652. 

 7'iiii(a/iu nirjriraiius, Onr, J. A. N. Sc. I, 1817, i)3. 



Ibufalcinetliu, Bonap. Obs. 1825,No. 199.— In. Syn.312.— In. Am. Orn. IV, 1831,23 ; pl..xxiii.— Nuttai.l, Man. II, 

 1S34, 88.— AcD. Orn. Riog IV, 1838, 608 ; pi. 387.— In. Syn. 257.— In. Birds Aiiicr. VI, 1843, 50 ; 

 pi. 358. 

 /6m ordii, Bonap. List, 1838. 

 jFu/cinf//i« ordii, Bonap. Consp. II, 1855, 159. 

 7 Ibis guarauna, Woodbodse, Sitgrcavcs' Exp. 1853, 98. 

 Sp. Cii. — Forehoad foalliered almost to the bill. Color chestnut ; the top of liead and back metallic green, glossed with 

 purple. Bill dusky; the naked skin at base slate bhe. Lengtli, 20.50 inches; winij, 10; tarsus, 3.30; bill abovo, 4.30. 

 Hab. — Found singly and at intervals over the whole United States. 



General color, including the lesser wing coverts, opaque purplish orange chestnut brown. 

 Top of head and nape, both sides of wing, (except the lesser coverts,) and the tail, metallic 

 green, glossed variously with purple ; the interscapular region and anterior scapulars purple 

 chestnut. The opaque feathers of the neck aud head edged obscurely with dusky ; the bare 

 skin of the head all round bordered by whitish. The bill is dusky in the skin ; in life it is said 

 to be blackish ; the bare skin at the base slate blue. The feet grayish black. 



Young specimens are similar, except that the head and neck are of an opaque dull greyish 

 brown, the feathers more or less edged narrowly with whitish. 



The synonomy of this species is in very great confusion, and it is difficult to say what name it 

 should bear. Admitting it to be distinct from tlie European Ibisfalcinelhis, the earlie.st name for an 

 American bird is Tantalus guaruana, of Linnaeus, which, however, is considered by Bonaparte 

 to be distinct, and confined to South America. The T. mexicanus of Gmelin, referred to the 

 same species by Bonaparte, seems to have as much claim to identity with the North Americau 

 as with the more southern bird. The T. chalcopterus of Temminck belongs to the South 

 American species. Setting aside T. mexicanus of Gmelin as too uncertain for the present case, 

 the next name in order is the ordi of Bonaparte. 



List of specimens. 



Catal. 

 No. 



9503 

 414-3 

 5117 



9506 

 9504 



9505 



earn 



Locality. 



When col- 

 lected. 



: Whence obtained, 



Texas Major Emory . 



Cndertila,Mcx , April —, 1853 Lieuu Couch . 



Ojo del CueriH), N. .M . . Sept. 29, 1855 Capt. Pope... 



Frontcni,RioGrandc,Tex Major Emory.... 



Santa Cruza, Sonora... I June — ,1855 do 



Fort Tcjon, Cai J. Xantus 



San Francisco, Cal Mar. 28, li;54 Lieut. Whipple . . 



Mexico Sept.— ,1836 J.Gould 



Orig. 

 No. 



139 



Collected by — ' Length. 



A. Schott . 



C. Wright 



Dr. Kennerly. 



Kenn. and Miill. 



24.00 

 20.00 



Stretch 

 ofwings. 



Wing. 



34.00 10.25 



33.50 



22.00 



36.00 



11.00 



16.00 



Remarks. 



Eyes crimson, biil slate. 

 Eyes brown, bill blaclt, 



gums reddi.-h yellow, 



feet dark gray. 



