IBIDIDJE GERONTICUS 97 



In northern Africa the Ibis is stated to build its nest on high 

 trees in considerable companies, but in South Africa it is only 

 known to breed among the rocks on some of the guano islands, such 

 as Jutteu Island off the entrance to Saldanha Bay, Dassen Island 

 north of Table Bay, and Dyers Island on the Caledon coast. On the 

 last-mentioned island I found two nests on December 2, one con- 

 taining three eggs, the usual clutch, and another containing a young 

 bird just hatched ; in a third nest, obviously also that of an Ibis, 

 were three eggs which appeared to be those of one of the Penguins 

 which were sitting all round in the immediate neighbourhood. The 

 nests were fairly massive structures built up of seaweed and coarse 

 stalks of the island vegetation, somewhat flat on the top and with 

 no lining beyond a slight cement of the guano ; they were placed 

 on some low rocks within a few yards of the sea. The eggs are 

 elongated and chalky white with a faint blue tinge, sparsely covered, 

 chiefly towards the larger end, with a few irregular streaks and 

 splotches of brick red ; they are slightly rough and not glossy, and 

 measure on an average 2-75 x 1*75, but vary considerably in size 

 and proportions. 



Genus II. GERONTICUS. 



Type. 

 Geronticus, Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 1232 G. calvus. 



Bill and nostrils as in Ibis ; only the crown and the upper third 

 of the neck bare of feathers, those on the nape extending nearly up 

 to the occiput ; cranium very much swollen and covered with smooth 

 red skin, contrasting with the bluish rough skin of the neck and 

 throat ; wings slightly longer than in Ibis, the inner secondaries 

 normal, and not elongated or forming ornamental plumes ; tail, 

 tarsus and toes as in Ibis. 



Only the single South African species here described is assigned 

 to this genus. 



605. Geronticus calvus. Bald Ibis. 



Tantalus calvus, Bodd. Tabl PL Enl. p. 52 (1783). 



Ibis calva, Steedman, Wanderings S. Afr. i, p. 174 (1835) ; Shelley, 

 B. Afr. i, p. 155 (1896) ; Woodivard Bros. Natal B. p. 190 (1899). 



Geronticus calvus, Gurney, Ibis, 1860, p. 219 [Natal] ; Layard, B. S. 

 Afr. p. 321 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 297 

 (1872) ; Drummond, Large Game S. E. Afr. p. 412 (1875) ; Butler, 



1 VOL. IV. 



