GLOSSY IBIS. 235 



(fuaraiina, which has a white margin of feathers surrounding 

 the bare space on the head. In Peru and Chili there is a 

 third species, P. ridgicayi. 



Mr. W. E. Clarke found the Glossy Ibis breeding by 

 thousands in the great bird-colony already mentioned on the 

 Obedska ' bara ' in Slavonia, where a single bush contained 

 one nest of Common Heron, two of Pigmy Cormorant, three 

 of Night-Heron, two of Little Egret, one of Squacco, and 

 three of this species, many other bushes and trees being 

 equally laden. The nests of the Ibis were somewhat large 

 structures formed of sticks and a few reeds, placed on the 

 lower branches of sallow-bushes, never more than two feet 

 above the water, and most of them had the appearance 

 of floating on the surface, being supported by submerged 

 boughs. In Sind, Mr. Doig found the nests on the top of 

 ' kundy ' trees, and in a colony visited by Col. Legge, in 

 Ceylon, in March 1872, the nests, described as small and 

 almost flat, were placed upon the horizontal forks of small 

 branches in thorny trees. The eggs, three or four in 

 number, are oval and of a beautiful greenish-blue, roughly 

 pitted over with slight indentations ; average measurements 

 2 in. by 1'5 in. The young, when still unable to fly, are 

 described by Col. Legge as climbing actively among the 

 branches of the trees in which the nests are placed, clinging 

 so firmly with their feet as to be removed with difficulty. 



In Europe the Glossy Ibis lives principally on the banks 

 of rivers, and on the shores of lakes or muddy flats which 

 are occasionally flooded over ; feeding on small reptiles, the 

 fry of fishes, small Crustacea, aquatic insects, worms, and 

 other soft-bodied animals. On the plains of Africa, accord- 

 ing to Von Heuglin, its diet consists of beetles, scorpions, 

 and especially locusts. In its flight the pinions are beaten 

 rapidly, producing a whizzing sound, after which the bird 

 skims for some distance. 



In the adult bird the beak is dark purple-brown, the lore 

 and the naked skin around the eyes olive-green, tinged with 

 grey ; the irides hazel ; the head, the neck all round, and 

 the interscapulars, deep reddish-brown ; wing-coverts and 



