56 IBIS RUBRA. 



GENUS XLV11. 1BIS, LACEP. 



213. IRIS KUKRA, VIEILL TANTALVS RUJiF.R, WILSON. 



SCARLET IBIS. 

 WILSON, PLATE LXVI. FIG. II EDINBURGH COM.KC.K Ml 



THIS beautiful bird is found in the most southern 

 parts of Carolina, also in Georgia and Florida, chiefly 

 about the sea-shore and its vicinity. In most parts of 

 America, within the tropics, and in almost all the West 

 India islands, it is said to be common ; al.M> in the 

 Bahamas. Of its manners, little more has been collected, 

 than that it frequents the borders of the sea, and shores 

 of the neighbouring rivers, feeding on small fry, shell 

 fish, sea worms, and small crabs. It is said frequently 

 to perch on trees, sometimes in large flocks ; but to lay 

 its eggs on the ground, on a bed of leaves. The egg's 

 are described as being of a greenish colour; the youny, 

 when hatched, black ; soon after, gray ; and before they 

 are able to fly, white ; continuing gradually to assume 

 their red colour until the third year, when the scarlet 

 plumage is complete. It is also said that they usually 

 keep in flocks, the young and old birds separately. 

 They have frequently been domesticate. I. 



The scarlet ibis measures twenty-three inches in 

 length, and thirty-seven in extent; the bill is live inches 

 long, thick, and somewhat, of a square form at the base, 

 gradually bent downwards, and sharply ridged, of a 

 black colour, except near the ba>e, when- it inclines to 

 red; irides, dark hazel; the naked face is finely wrinkled, 

 and of a pale red ; chin, also bare and wrinkled for 

 about an inch ; whole plumage, a rich glowing scarlet, 

 except about three inches of the extremities of the 

 four outer quill feathers, which are of a deep steel blue ; 

 legs and naked part of the thighs, pale red, the three 

 anterior toes united by a membrane as far as the first 

 joint. 



Whether the female differs, in the colour of her 



