GLOSSY IBIS. 343 



spring season at very irregular periods, on the coasts of tlie Middle 

 States. The specimen Mr. Ord described, and which produced a strong 

 sensation even among experienced gunners and the oldest iidiabitants 

 as a novelty, was shot on the seventh of May, 1817, at Great Egg 

 Harbor, and we have seen others from tlic same locality and obtained 

 at the same season, as also- from Maryland and Virginia. A bcatitifiil 

 specimen preserved in the American Museum at New York, was shot a 

 few miles from that city in June, 1828. In central Italy they arrive 

 periodically about the middle of April, or the beginning of May, and 

 pass a month among us, after which they disappear entirely, and a pair 

 of the Glossy Ibis is of very rare occurrence, though they have been 

 known to remain here so hito as August. A few pairs are brought every 

 year in spring to the market of Rome, and in Tuscany and near Genoa 

 they are more plentiful. The Italian and United States specimens that 

 have come under my observation were all adults. During their stay 

 among us they occupy places near marshes and grounds subject to be 

 overflowed, where there are no trees, but abundance of grass, and plenty 

 of their favorite food. They search for this collected in flocks of from 

 thirty to forty, and explore the ground with great regularity, advancing 

 in an extended line, but closely side by side : when they wish to leave 

 one side of the meadow for another, they do not take wing, but walk 

 to the 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 Sandpiper, but always walk with poised and measured 

 steps, so that .^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 wonderful 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, tlicir 

 voice resembling that of Geese : finally having reached what they 

 consider the proper height, taking a horizontal direction, they soon dis- 

 appear from the sight : their flight is vigorous and elevated, their pec- 

 toral 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 a low 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 Miijnattajo), but 

 erroneously, none of these having ever been found in their stomachs 

 either by Prof. Savi or myself. From what is observed in Europe, the 

 regular migration of these birds appears to be in the direction of south- 

 west and north-east. Every circumstance leads to the belief that they 



