2oG AVES : HERODIONES. — XXXVI. 



Families of Herodiones. 



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

 nostrils to the tip; skull sehizorhinal. 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. 



Akdeid^e, 140. 



Family CXXXVII. PLATALEID^E. (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, 3G9. 



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 sehizorhinal. 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. >Y. 11. T. 4. 

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



371. PLEGADIS Kaup. (n-X^yas, scythe.) 



726. P. autumnalis (Hasselquist). Glossy Ibis. Rich dark 

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



