648 SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — HERODIONES — IBIDES. 



The group here noted corresponds to the Pelargomorphce of Huxley, the Ciconiiformes of 

 GaiTod (minus CathartidiE !), the Grallatores altinares of Sundevall, and includes the Herodia; 

 Pelargi, and Hemiglottides of Nitzsch, — respectively the Heron series, the Stork series, and the 

 series of Ibises and Spoonbills. The first of these difi"ers more from the others than these do 

 fi-om one another. As usual, there are certain outlying genera, types of families or suhfamilies, 

 the position of which is not assured. But appearances are that the (luestionable forms will 

 fall in one or another of the three series indicated. All of these series, to be conventionally 

 rated as suborders or superfamilies, are represented in North America, where also all the large 

 and leading families occur. 



12. Suborder IBIDES: The Ibis Series. 



Skull schizorhinal. Angle of mandible produced and recurved. Ambiens muscle, femoro- 

 caudal and accessory, semitendinosus and accessory, and post-acetabular portion of tensor fascife, 

 present ; pectoralis major simple ; biceps cubiti connected with tensor patagii longus. Sternum 

 double-notched on each side. Carotids double, normal. Two intestinal cceca. Tongue ex- 

 tremely small. A tufted oil-gland. Plumage without powder-down ; feathered tracts broad. 

 Tarsi reticulate (rarely scutellate). Hallux not fairly insistent. Claws resting upon a horny 

 " shoe." Inner edge of middle claw not, or not fairly, pectinate. Side of upper mandible with 

 a deep nan'ow groove for its whole length ; bill otherwise very diflerently shaped in the two 

 families, Ibididoe and Platcdeidce, of which this series consists. 



43. Family IBIDID^ : Ibises. 



Bill very long and slender, compressed-cyliudric, curved throughout, deeply grooved 

 nearly or quite to tip, which is rather obtuse, not notched ; end of culmen rather broad and 

 depressed, in the rest of its extent the culmen narrow and rounded ; interramal space narrow, 

 acute, produced nearly to tip of bill. (Whole bill thus closely resembling a Curlew's ; one of 

 our species is frequently called "Spanish Curlew.") Legs rather short (for Herodiones). 

 Claws compressed, acute ; the middle may be dUated and jagged, but is not fairly pectinate. 

 Hallux sub -insistent. Tarsi reticulate, or scutellate in front only. Anterior toes more or less 

 webbed at base. Pterylosis more or less completely stork-like, lacking the powder-down 

 tracts of Herons ; head more or less extensively denuded. Birds of medium and large .<*ize 

 (among Herodiones), long-legged, long-necked and small-bodied, with ample more or less 

 rounded wings, of which the inner quills are very large; tail very short, usually if not always 

 of 12 broad rectrices. Chiefly lacustrine and palustriue inhabitants of the warmer parts of the 

 globe, feeding on fish, reptiles, and other animals. The sexes are alike ; the y<iung difl'ereut. 

 There are about 24 species of Ibises, among which the minor details of form vary considerably, 

 nearly every one of them having been made type of some genus, according to shape of biU, 

 character of head-feathering, condition of tarsal envelope, etc. The two leading modifications 

 are, tarsus entirely reticulate, and tarsus scutellate in front ; our genera illustrate the latter. 

 Obs. Our Wood " Ibis," so called, is a Stork. See beyond, p. 652. 

 Analysis of Genera and Species. 

 Head bare on sides and beneath. Claws scarcely curved. Colors dark, metallic, greenish and chestnut. 



Plegadis 252 



Face without white feathers in adult fafcinellus 649 



Face surrounded by white feathers in adult guarauna 650 



Head extensively bare on front, sides, and beneath. Claws curved. Colors light, dull, red or white. 



ECDOCIMDS 253 



Adults white albus 651 



Adults scarlet ruber 652 



