158 MANUAL OF PHILIPPINE BIRDS. 
“A dult.—Above black, with varying glossy reflections, either bronzy 
purple or green; upper mantle deqggmaroon-chestnut, as also lesser wing- 
coverts and scapulars, the latter having bronzy tips; median and greater 
coverts duller and more oily green with bronze or steel-green reflections ; 
alula, primary-coverts, and quills entirely glossy green, secondaries with 
purplish reflections; lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail all 
black, with various reflections of purple and oily or bronzy green; head 
and neck all round, as well as under surface of body deep maroon-chest- 
nut, somewhat lighter on the chest and breast; forehead and fore part of 
crown glossy green, as also base of cheeks and a slight shade below eye; 
under tail-coverts, under wing-coverts, and axillars black, with metallic 
reflections of green and purple, the quill-lining being similarly glossed. 
‘Bill and feet dark brownish olive, iris brown.’ (Guwillemard.) Length, 
558; culmen, 132; wing, 284; tail, 99; tarsus, 107. 
“Female.—Similar to the male in plumage, but smaller in size and 
with a somewhat smaller bill. 
“The winter plumage would appear to be adopted after the bird has 
left for its winter quarters, as a male killed in Celebes on August 20 is 
-still in full red plumage. The winter plumage of the adults appears 
to consist in the entire loss of the chestnut plumage of the head, back, 
and scapulars; the rest of the plumage remains metallic with the same 
varying shades of green and purple, but the wings are rather more bronzy 
and the wing-coverts brighter metallic green. The head and neck are 
entirely streaked with black and whitish, and in the spring the red 
feathers of the summer plumage are gained by a molt. 
“Young birds are similar to the winter plumage of the adult, but are 
more of a metallic oil-green, without the beautiful shades which dis- 
tinguish the adults at all seasons. The head is dusky brown, with a 
certain amount of white striping on the head and throat, but not so much 
as in the adult winter plumage.” (Sharpe.) 
Although the only authentic record of the occurrence of the glossy 
ibis in the Philippine Islands is that made by Mearns, there is every 
reason to look for it in Luzon and other of the larger islands. 
Family PLATALEIDA. 
Members of this family greatly resemble herons but differ in having 
the bill flattened and spatulate, the tip blunt and rounded; from each 
of the nostrils there is a groove which extends parallel to the edge of the 
mandible and meets the opposite groove at tip of bill. 
Genus PLATALEA Linneus, 1766. 
Character same as those given for the Family. 
