236 AVES: HEKODIONES. 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 ............ PLATALEIDJS, 137. 



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



IBIDID.E, 138. 



act. 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. PLATALEID^J. (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. IBIDID^J. (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 .............. PLEQADIS, 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. W. 11. T. 4. 

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



371. PLEGADIS Kaup. (nXy-yds, scythe.) 



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

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



