HERONS, RAILS, 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 ^Elian 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 Mignattajd), 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 



