GLOSSY IBIS. 



509 



In Europe tlic 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. — Of its nidification or its eo^ffs nothing 

 that I am aware of is known. JNIontagu says that it builds 

 in trees, but for this, though very probable, no authority is 

 named. 



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 tertials 

 dark maroon brown with brilliant green and purple reflec- 

 tions ; wing primaries dark brownish black, tinged with 

 green ; tail feathers brownish black, tinged with purple ; 

 breast, sides and belly deep reddish brown, like the neck ; 

 the under surface of the wings, the flanks and under tail 

 coverts dark brown ; the legs and toes green, the claws olive 

 brown. 



The whole length of the bird about twenty-two inches. 

 From the carpal joint to the end of the wing ten inches and 

 three quarters ; the first and fourth quill feathers equal in 

 length, but shorter than the second and third, which are 

 also equal in length and the longest in the wing. 



M, Temminck says that females, at the same age, only 

 differ from males in being smaller in size. 



In young birds the head, cheeks, and upper part of the 

 neck behind are dull clove brown, intermixed with short hair- 

 like streaks of greyish white ; on the throat in front, one and 

 sometimes more patches of dull greyish white, placed rather 

 transversely ; the whole of the body above and below, the 

 wings and the tail, dull uniform liver brown, with very little 

 of the glossy tints observable in older birds, which are ob- 

 tained gradually. 



