42 BULLETIN 135^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



any leader, but the Rev. Mr. Dawson (1917) speaks of shooting "the- 

 captain of a red brigade as he led his troop to his evening feeding 

 ground." William Beebe (1909), writing about a large flock he 

 saw in northeastern Venezuela, says: 



On the evening of March 26 a flock of not less than 500 swung back and 

 forth across the Cano ahead of us, in a series of graceful evolutions before rising 

 and drifting out of sight over the dark-green mangroves, like a great cloud of 

 living flame. 



Charles L. Bull (1911) describes evolutions like these and in a letter 

 dated December 27, 1923, writes me the following confirmation: 



I saw the big flock performing its evolutions, circling and wheeling in a very 

 high development of the flock instinct. You asked me if I noticed any leader in- 

 the flock. No. It seemed to me that the entire flock would wheel as one bird,, 

 much as flocks of starlings I have seen, and some of the shorebirds, Sanderlings, 

 I think. 



Persecution has had its effect upon the scarlet ibis in making it 

 watchful and retiring. Mr. Beebe (1909) says of birds in Venezuelar 

 "they are quite wary and when feeding did not allow one to approach 

 within gun-shot before flying." W. C. van Heurn (1912) has also 

 noted this but remarks that young birds are much easier to shoot. 



Hunters and fishermen in Surinam assert that scarlet ibises are 

 more difficult to approach than they were about 20 years ago, and 

 that the large flocks which at one time were to be seen at the mouth of 

 the Surinam River, have moved eastward along the coast to the 

 Motkreek, where they are much less liable to be molested. 



Notwithstanding this shyness the scarlet ibis has a well developed 

 trait of curiosity. A. E. Brehm (1871), in describing the nesting of 

 Porphyria hyacinthinus in captivity, says that it was necessary to- 

 protect the nest from inquisitiveness of a scarlet ibis. 



In September, 1921, while on my way from Braamspunt to Para- 

 maribo, a pair of adult scarlet ibises passed slowly side by side over 

 our boat, as if they were watching us. One of this pair had a broken 

 leg which dangled down loosely. Further up river, I saw a single 

 bird, in brilliant plumage, dodging in and out of the mangroves, appar- 

 ently following along in pure curiosity. Occasionally it would stoop 

 to pick up something, but it seemed to me that inquisitiveness rather 

 than search for food governed its action. 



Scarlet ibises are attracted by any bright red object. I quote front 

 F. P. and A. P. Penard (1908) (translated) : 



Their partiality for anything red deserves mention. Hunters make use of 

 this by waving a piece of red cloth or by laying a dead bird of briglit plumage in 

 some open place, sure of attracting passing ibises. 



The vocal performance of the scarlet ibis is not very noteworthy. 

 Indeed, its notes are so seldom heard that there are local proverbs 



