Edge of cranium above the orbits truncate, indicating the position 

 of the nasal glands. 



Sternum with four posterior notches. 

 Accessor}' femoro-caudal muscle present. 



Nest in trees or in reed-beds. 



Eggs greenish white, with spots, in Platalea ; in the Ihididcc, 

 green, white, or spotted. 



Key to the Families. 



ii. Bill much curved ; nasal groove linear and [p. 2. 



produced nearly to the tip of the bill 1. Ibididse, 



h. Bill flattened, narrow in the middle and widen- [p. 43. 



iug out into a spoon-shaped end 2. Flataleid^e, 



Family I. IBIDID.E. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Anterior aspect of tarsus reticulated, with 

 rumerous hexagonal scales, 

 ft'. Inner secondaries oraamental, dependent, 

 with the webs of the feathers discon- 

 nected ; entire head, throat, and neck all 



round bare 1. Ibis, p. 4. 



b'. Inner secondaries ordinary, not ornamental. 

 a". Entire head bare : throat bare ; hind- 

 neck feathered to nape. 

 a^. With elongated stiffened shafts of 

 a yellow colour on the fore-neck ; 

 no nuchal crest ; no papillae on 



crown 2. Caephibis, p. 11. 



IP. Shafts ordinary on the fore-neck, 

 a'. No elongated nuchal crest or ruff; 

 throat feathered nearly to end of 

 rami of lower jaw. 

 a'. Crown covered with papillje or 



coral-like granulations 



b'. Crown smooth ; no papillse .... 

 i*. A crest or rutf of elongated feathers 

 on the nape. 

 c'. Throat feathered to chin, the 

 median line of feathers reaching 

 to the level of the end of the 

 rami of the lower jaw; crest- 

 feathers very long and de- 

 pendent 5. NipPoxiA, p. 15. 



rf'. Entire throat bare. 



a*. Nuchal crest composed of 

 elongated narrow feathers, 

 greatly developed ; head bare. 

 6*. Nuchal crest of soft plumes, 

 not greatly elongated; cranium 

 rounded and swollen 7. Geronticus, p. 17. 



o. Inocotis, p. 12. 

 4. Graptocephalus, 

 [p. 14. 



6. CoMATinis, p. 16. 



