364 IBIDIDvE. 



1543. Inocotis davisoni. Davisons Blade Ibis. 



Geronticus davisoni, Hume, S. F. iii, p. 300 (1875). 



Geronticua papillosus, ap-ud Oates, #. F. iii, p. 347 ; nee Temm. 



Inocotis papillosus, apud Gates, S. F. v, p. It58. 



Graptocephalus davisoni, Elliot, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 490 ; Hume fy Dav. 



S. F. vi, p. 485 ; Hume, Cat. no. 942 bis ; Oates, S. F. ix, p. 300 ; 



x, p. 244 ; id. B. B. ii, p. 269 ; id. in Hume's N. Sf E. 2nd ed. 



iii, p. 231. 



The plumage is coloured as in the last species, but this bird is 

 rather larger arid the naked skin of the head is very differently 

 coloured. There is no red area on the crown, the occiput is smooth, 

 the frontal area more rugose, the skin of the head is blackish 

 brown, with a broad white ring tinged with blue at the nape just 

 above the feathered neck. 



Bill bluish; irides orange-red : feet pale coral-red (Oates). 



Length 30 ; tail 8 ; wing 16'5 ; tarsus 3'5 ; bill from gape 7. 



Distribution. Pegu ; Southern Tenasserim ; Cochin China and 

 Siam. 



Habits, Sfc. This Ibis is a resident on the plains of the Irrawaddy, 

 occurring singly or in pairs, with very similar habits to those 

 of /. papillosus. In Southern Tenasserim it has only been 

 observed at particular seasons. It haunts open plains or marshy 

 flats or the banks of rivers, and perches on high trees, audit has a 

 harsh weird cry. Gates found on the 13th Eebruary a nest be- 

 longing to this bird, containing two pale blue eggs, one of \vhich 

 measured 2'55 by 1*8. The nest was of sticks on a tree. 



Genus PLEGADIS, Kaup, 1829. 



This genus is distinguished by having the head feathered except 

 on the lores and area in front of the eye. The tarsi are lengthened, 

 and scutellate in front ; toes long and slender. The bill is much 

 more slender than in the genus Ibis. 



A single species of wide range is found in India ; two other 

 reputed species are American. 



1544. Plegadis falcinellus. The Glossy Ibis. 



Tantalus falcinellus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 241 (1766). 



Numenius igneus & N. viridis, 6'. G. Gm. Reise d. Russl. \, pp. 166, 



167 (1770). 

 Ibis falcinellus, Vieill. Nouv. Diet, d Hist. Nat. xvi, p. 23 ; 



Oates Sf Hume, S. F. iii, p. 192. 

 Plegadis falcinellus, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 82 ; Legqe, Birds Ceyl. 



p. 1109; Parker, Ibis, 1883, p. 194; Oates, B. B. ii, p. 281 ; 



id. in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 231 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxvi, 



p. 29. 

 Falcinellus igneus, Gray, Cat. Mamm, etc. Coll. Hoclgs. p. 136; 



Blyth, Cat. p. 274; Irby, Ibis, 1861, p. 243; Jenlon, B. I. iii, 



p. 770; Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. 2, p. 275; Hume, 



N. $ E. p. 635 ; id. S. F. i, p. 257 ; Blyth, Birds Burm. p. 158 ; 



