236 AVES : HERODIONES. XXXVI. 



Families of Herodiones. 



a. Sides of upper mandible with a deep narrow groove, extending from the 



nostrils to the tip; skull schizorhinal. Ibises. 

 b. Bill very broad, much flattened, and greatly widened toward tip, only 



the point decurved PLATALEID^E, 137. 



bb. Bill slender, subterete, gradually decurved for its whole length. 



IBIDID.E, 138. 



aa. Sides of upper mandible without long groove ; skull holorhinal. Storks 

 and Herons. 



c. Hind toe inserted more or less above the level of the others ; its claw 

 short ; claws broad and flat, resting on a horny pad or shoe ; middle 



claw not pectinate CICONIID.E, 139. 



cc. Hind toe inserted on the level of the rest ; claws narrow, arched ; the 

 middle one pectinate on its inner edge; bill straight, pointed. 



ARDEID^E, 140. 



FAMILY CXXXVII. PLATALEIDJE. (THE SPOONBILLS.) 



Bill long, flat, broad and spoonshaped at the end, otherwise essen- 

 tially as in the Ibididce. Genera 2 ; species 6, in most regions, 

 a. Trachea simple (not convoluted within the thorax). . . . AJAJA, 369. 



369. AJAJA Reichenbach. (Brazilian name.) 



724. A. ajaja (L.). ROSEATE SPOONBILL. Chiefly white, back 

 and wings rose-pink ; tail buffy ; skin of the bald head variegated. 

 L. 34. W. 15. B. 7 ; its width 2. T. 5. Tropical America, N. 

 to S. 111. 



FAMILY CXXXVIII. IBIDIDuE. (THE IBISES.) 



Bill very long and slender, compressed, cylindric, curved through- 

 out, the upper mandible with a deep groove reaching nearly or 

 quite to tip ; legs rather long, the toes slightly webbed at base. 

 Head more or less naked; plumage stork-like, without powder- 

 down tracts ; wings broad ; tail short ; tarsus scutellate in front, 

 in our species. Skull schizorhinal. Genera 10 or more; species 

 24 ; of the lakes and swamps of warm regions. Sexes alike. 

 a. Head of adult wholly naked anteriorly; no crest; claws curved. 



GUARA, 370. 



aa. Head of adult feathered except on lores; crown with a short crest; claws 

 nearly straight PLEGADIS, 371. 



370. GUARA Reichenbach. (From guarauna, a Brazilian name.) 



725. G. alba (L.). WHITE IBIS. SPANISH CURLEW. Pure 

 white, tips of longer quills glossy black. L. 24. ~\V. 11. T. 4. 

 B. 7. Southern States, N. to S. Ind. 



371. PLEGADIS Kaup. (ir\r)yds, scythe.) 



726. P. autumnalis (Hasselquist). GLOSSY IBIS. Rich dark 

 purplish-chestnut; head, back, wings and tail metallic purplish- 



