The Ibises. 



i6i 



frequent the neighbourhood of houses Hke the White Stork, but is entirely a bird of 

 the forests. The nest is a large structure of sticks, added to year after 3'ear, and 

 lined with moss, generally placed in trees, but sometimes on ledges of rocks or cliffs. 

 The eggs are from three to five in number, of a dull white and coarse texture. 

 They measure from two-and-a-half to two-and-three-quarter inches in length. 



The Ibises and Spoon-bills form the Sub-order Platalea , and 

 differ from the Herons and Storks in the form of the nostrils. 

 The Glossy Ibis is only an accidental visitor to Great Britain, 

 occurring generally in autumn and winter, but sometimes in 

 spring. It is a common species in Southern Europe, extending 

 to Central Asia, India and China, as well as Africa and Australia, and it even occurs 



THE 



GLOSSY IBIS. 



(Plcgadis 



falcinellus.) 



The Spoon-iull. 



The Glossy Ibis. 



in the Eastern United States of North America. It is very like a Heron in habits 



and gathers together in companies, feeding like a Curlew on the shores of lakes and 



rivers, where its prey consists of frogs, worms and aquatic insects. It nests in the 



company of other Herons in the marshes, and builds a slight structure of sticks and 



reeds. The eggs are three or four in number, and are easily recognised by their 



dark greenish-blue colour ; they measure about two inches in length, or a trille more. 



This is a ciuite unmistakable bird on account of its tlat and 

 THE 



spoon-shaped bill. The colour is pure white, with a tawny tinge 



{Platalealaiccrodia.) °^ ^^'^ °" "^'^ '^'^'"' ''"'^ n&ck, and a large crest of drooping 

 plumen, which disappears in the winter plumage. The Spoon- 

 bill used to breed in several places in England, but is now only an occasional visitor. 



II 



