LEFTOPTILOS. 647 



ORDER, HERODIONES. 



Bill large, long, stout and strong, pointed and in some slightly curved ; 

 tarsi generally long and scutellate ; tail short ; tibia bare for a considerable 

 space. The Order comprises the Storks, Herons and Ibises. 



Family, CICONnXE. STORKS. 



Bill long and stout, compressed to the tip ; nostrils narrow, pierced through 

 the bill and situated near the .base of the culmen ; tail moderate ; front toes 

 united at the base. 



Gen. Leptoptilos. Less. 



Bill very large, high at base, much thickened ; keel straight ; head and neck 

 more or less naked. Under tail coverts composed of long, lax, decomposed 

 feathers, known as marabou. 



1336. LeptOptilOS argala (Lath), Jerd., B. Ind. iii. p. 730, 

 No. 915; Blyth and Wald., B. Br. Burm. p. 158; Murray, Vert. Zool., 

 Sind, p. 266 ; Oates, B. Br. Burm ii. p. 262. Ardea argala, Lath., 

 Ind. Orn. ii. p. 676. Leptoptilos dubius, Salvad., Ucc. Born. p. 357 ; 

 Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 605. Leptoptilus giganteus (Forst.}, 

 Oates, Sir. F. vii. p. 50. The ADJUTANT. 



In Breeding Plumage. Head, neck and gular pouch bare, except a few 

 short scattered hair-like feathers varying in colour from yellowish red to fleshy 

 red ; ruff white ; back, lesser and median wing coverts, primaries and secon- 

 daries black with a greenish gloss ;the greater coverts and tertiaries silvery grey, 

 forming a wing band ; under parts white. In non-breeding plumage the white 

 wing band is absent and the black plumage much duller. 



Bill pale dirty greenish ; irides greyish white. 



Length. 60 inches; wing 30 ; tail 1 1 ; bill at front 1 2 inches; tarsus 1 1; 

 pouch 16 to 18 inches in length. 



Hab. Sind and throughout the greater part of India ; rare in the South ; 

 absent in Malabar, where it is replaced by L.javanicus\ spread throughout 

 North and N.-E. India to Burmahand the Malayan Peninsula. In the Deccan, 

 also in Guzerat and Bengal, it is of much service as a scavenger. Its food is 

 very various. Lizards and frogs, and insects too ; refuse from dung heaps also 

 does not come amiss to it. From the craw of three specimens collected about 

 80 miles east of Kurrachee, lizards (Uromastix hardwickii) were extracted. In 

 each an entire animal in four pieces was found which had evidently not been 

 long swallowed. The pieces were very neatly cut ; the head making one, 

 the body in two longitudinal halves, and the tail entire being the fourth 

 piece. 



