GERONTICUS. 667 



1367- Threskiornis melanocephalus (Lath.\ Jerd., B. Ind. 



iii. p. 768 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 632 ; Murray, Vert. Zool., 

 Sind, p. 278. Tantalus melanocephalus, Lath,, Ind. Orn. ii. p. 709. Ibis 

 melanocephalus, Salvad., Ucc. Born. p. 359; Blyth, B. Burm. p. 158; Legge, 

 B. Ceylon, p. Iio6; Oates t B. Br. Burm. p. 268. The WHITE IBIS. 



Head and neck nude ; lower neck, back, wings and their coverts, primaries, 

 secondaries, entire under surface from the breast and also the tail, white; 

 scapulars and tertials lengthened, their outer webs disunited, and of a 

 greyish colour. In another stage of plumage the quills are black with 

 green reflections ; bill and legs black ; irides blood red. 



Length. 29 to 30 inches; wing 14; tail 5-75 ; bill at front 6; tarsus 4. 



Hal. Sind, Mekran Coast, Persia, Rajputana, Kutch, Guzerat, Concan, 

 Deccan, and nearly throughout India, Ceylon and Burmah. A resident wher- 

 ever found ; breeds from July to September. Eggs, 4 6, white, or dingy 

 white, with a slight bluish tinge when fresh; size 2-5 x 1*75. 



Gen. Geronticus. 



Bill more slender and longer than in Ibidina ; plumage black. 



1368. Geronticus papillosus, Tem., PL Col. 304; Jerd., B. Ind. 



iii. p. 769; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 633; Murray, Vert. Zool., 

 Sind, p. 2 78; Legge, B. Ceylon,^. 1107; Murray, Hdbk., Zool., fyc., Sind, 

 p. 229. The WARTY-HEADED IBIS. 



Head, nape, chin and throat nude, black; crown with a triangular patch 

 of bright red papillae extending in front in line with the eyes, and behind to 

 the back of the head ; neck and entire under surface fuscous brown, unglossed ; 

 back, scapulars and tertials the same, but glossed with purplish ; upper tail 

 coverts dark brown, slightly glossed with steel blue ; under tail coverts glossed 

 with bluish; wings glossy steel blue, mixed with purple; a large patch of 

 white on the wing above the shoulder formed by the white of the innermost 

 lesser wing coverts ; bill plumbeous with a greenish tinge ; irides orange red ; 

 legs and feet brick red. 



Length. 30 inches ; wing 15 ; tail 7-5 ; bill 6 to 7 ; tarsus 3. 



Eab. Sind, Beloochistan, Persia, Punjab, N.-W. Provinces, Oudh, Bengal, 

 Rajputana, Kutch, Central India, Khandeish, Guzerat, Concan and Deccan. 

 Occurs on the Western Coast generally. A resident in Sind ; breeds from 

 July to September. 



Gen. Graptocephalus, Elliot. 



No warts on the back of the head. 



1369. Graptocephalus Davisoni (Hume), Elliot, P. z. S. 1877, 



p. 490; Hume and Dav., Str. F. vi. p. 485; Hume, Sir. F. viii. p. 114; 

 Oates, Str. F. ix. p. 300 ; x. p. 244 ; Oates, B. Br. Burm. ii. p. 269. 

 Geronticus Davisoni, Hume, Str. F. iii. p. 300. Geronticus papillosus, apud 



