Herons, Ralts, Etc. 223 
selected spot. When they have alighted on a newly-discovered rich 
spot of ground, they may be observed on it for hours, continually 
boring the mud with their bill. They never start and run rapidly 
like the Curlew and Sand-piper, but always walk with poised and 
measured steps, so that A®lian says the Ibis’s motions can only be 
compared to those of a delicate virgin. The body is kept almost 
horizontal, the neck much bent, like the letter S, and lifting their 
feet high. If alarmed, or when about to depart, they rise to wonder- 
ful heights, ascending first in an inclined but straight flight, and then 
describing a wide spiral, the whole flock are heard to cry out in a 
loud tone, their voice resembling that of geese; finally, having 
reached what they consider the proper height, taking a horizontal 
direction, they soon disappear from the sight. Their flight is vigorous 
and elevated, their pectoral muscles being very thick ; they fly with the 
neck and legs extended horizontally, like most Waders, and as they 
float along, send forth from time to time alow and very hoarse sound. 
Their food consists chiefly of small aquatic testaceous mollusca, and 
they do not disdain such small worms and insects as they may meet 
with. They are supposed to live chiefly on leeches (whence their 
Tuscan name J/ignattajo), but erroneously, none of these having 
ever been found in their stomachs either by Prof. Savi or myself.” 
The Wood Ibis is asserted not to be common 
“anywhere within our borders,” but Dr. Coues says 
that it is abundant about Fort Yuma, and he has given 
a most entertaining account of the bird in his “ Birds 
of the Northwest ;” but Fort Yuma, it may be said, in 
passing, is very much otherwise than in the North- 
west, and is so thoroughly tropical as to have the 
thermometer run up to 115° in the shade. Florida, 
on the Atlantic seaboard, is its proper home, and as 
a straggler we get an occasional glimpse of one even 
in New Jersey. Dr. Warren mentions several in- 
stances of its occurrence in Pennsylvania. 
In our common Bittern we have in New England 
and the Middle States a moderately well known 
bird, but one that, by reason of its retiring habits and 
