118 Kev. J. Sibree^ Jr.^ on the 



or " Shell-breaker/^ This Stork is not confined to the sea- 

 shoreSj but is also found in the neighbourhood of the inland 

 lake of Alaotra in Antsihanaka. The peculiar bill of these 

 Storks is also referred to in another of their names, Falama- 

 kavava. As for the meaning of the name of the Takatra, it 

 is probably identical with the root takatra, " reached/' 

 " attained to/^ and so refers to its stretching out its neck 

 and legs in searching for food. 



(3) One species of Spoonbill is included in the Malagasy 

 list. Its native names of Sutrovava and Sbirosbny have the 

 same meaning as its English name ; while another name, 

 Fangadiambava, means " Spade-mouthed." 



Three species of Ibis are among the shore-birds of this 

 island, one of them of a peculiar genus, Lophotibis, of which 

 M. Grandidier says that its very different proportions sepa- 

 rate it most distinctly from the very homogeneous group of 

 the true Ibises. '^ This bird is chestnut-brown in colour; 

 the Glossy Ibis is dark brown; the Bernier's Ibis is white, with 

 black head and points of wings and tail. Of the first of 

 these birds, M. Pollen says that it generally goes in couples, 

 runs exceedingly fast, flies very rapidly, and perches at 

 evening on the trees, where it utters during the night loud 

 cries resembling those of the Owls. Immediately this Ibis 

 perceives any danger it begins to run, raising at every instant 

 its crest in the same fashion as do our Lapwings, so that it 

 is very difiicult to kill it. It is often kept by the natives 

 in their compounds together with their poultry. 



The native names of these birds must be briefly noticed. 

 In several of them words meaning " goat " appear, as Mana- 

 ranbsy, '' Goat-Ibis,'* FitVlibengy , " Goat-watchman," and 

 Voronbsy, " Goat-bird." The Glossy Ibis has the odd name 

 of Fltosivy, lit. '' Seven-nine" ; and the Crested Ibis is called 

 Akoholahindla, " Forest-cock," and Akbhovohitse, " Yillage- 

 fowl." Other names, as Lampiro, Mefo, and Kbbabeo, are 

 obscure. The word Manarana seems to be used as a generic 

 name for these Ibises ; but whether it is the same word as 

 the verb manarana, meaning " to indulge," " to gratify," 



