Order 5. GRALL^. 229 



fTbe Black Stork (A. nigra, Lin.).— Blackish, with rich purple reflections, and the belly white. It frequents 

 retired mai'shes, and builds in the forests. 



Among foreign species, we may distinguish 



The Adjutants [//rjrafe, Benn.], — 

 Or bare-necked Storks, the beak of which is still larger and slighter ; and among them 



The Pouched Adjutants {Ard. diibia, Gmelin ; A. argala, Lin.) ; which have an appendag^e under the middle of 

 the throat resemblins!;' a great sausage, and from beneath the wings of which are procured those light downy fea- 

 thers, that are made into tufts called Maribuus. Two species of them are known ; one from Senegal, with a 

 uniform mantle, {Cic. maribou, Tem.), the other from India, of which the wing-coverts are bordered with white, 

 (C. argala, Tem.). — Their large beak enables them to capture birds on the wing. Add C. capillata, Tem. 



The Jabirus {Mycferia, Lin.), — 

 Which were separated by Linnaeus from Ardea, are very closely allied to the Storks, and much more 

 so than the latter are to the Herons ; the moderate opening of their beak, their nostrils, the reticu- 

 lated envelope of their legs, together with the considerable palmature of the toes, are absolutely the 

 same as in the Storks, which they further resemble in their mode of life. Their peculiarity consists in 

 having the beak slightly curved upwards towards its extremity. 



The best-known species (M. americana, Lin.), is very large, and white, with a bare head and neck, invested with 

 a black skin, the lower part of which is red ; the occiput alone has some white feathers, and the beak and feet are 

 black. It is found along the borders of pools and marshes in South America, where it preys on reptiles and fish. 

 The Cicoiiia ephippiryncha, Ruppell, only differs from M. senegalensis, Latham, in being drawn from the recent 

 specimen. 



The Umbres (Scopus, Brisson) — 



Are only distinguished from the Storks by their compressed beak, the trenchant ridge of which is 



inflated towards the base, and the nostrils are prolonged by a groove which runs parallel with the 



ridge to its tip, which is slightly hooked. 



One species only is known, the Crested Umbre {Sc. umbrella), as large as a Crow, and of an umber colour, the 

 male crested. It is difl'used over all Africa. 



The Anastomes {Hians, Lacep. ; Anastomus, Illig.) — 

 Are separated from the Storks by about as trivial a character as that which distinguishes the Jabirus. 

 The mandibles of their beak come in contact only at the base and tips, leaving a wide interval 

 between their edges, at the medial portion. Even this seems to be the result of detrition, for the 

 fibres of the horny substance appear as though it had been worn away. 



They are East Indian birds, one of which is whitish (Ardea ponticeriana, Gm.), the other greyish-brown 

 (A. coromandeliana, Sonnerat). Perhaps the latter is merely the young of the former. Both have black quill and 

 tail-feathers. A third, of an iridescent black (An. lamelliger, Tem.), is remarkable for the stem of each of its fea- 

 thers terminating in a narrow horny disk, which passes beyond the vane. 



The Dromes (Dramas, Paykull) — 

 Bear a close resemblance to the preceding, having nearly the same feet and contour ; but their com- 

 pressed beak, the base of which is a Uttle inflated beneath, is pierced with oval nostrils, and tlie 

 mandibles close completely. 



We know only one species, from the shores of the Red Sea and banks of the Senegal (Dramas ardeola, Payk.) 

 with white plumage, and part of the mantle and wings black. 



The Tantals (Tantalus, Lin.) — 

 Have the feet, nostrils, and beak of the Storks, e."ccept that the ridge of the latter is rounded, and its 

 tip gradually curved downwards, and slightly emarginated on each side : a portion of the head, and 

 sometimes of the neck, is bare of feathers. 



The TToorf 7fii> of North America (T. loculator, Lin.). — As large as a Stork, but more slender; white, with the 

 quill and tail-feathers blacK, as is also the naked skin of the head and neck. It is found in both Americas, 

 appearing in each during the rainy season, and frequents muddy waters, where it seeks principally for Eels. Its 

 gait is slow, and general aspect unlively. 



The African species (T. ibis, Lin.), which is white, slightly shaded with purple on the wings, and has a yellow 

 beak, and the naked skin of the visage red, was long regarded by naturalists as the bird so revered by the ancient 

 Egyptians under the name of Ibis; but recent researches have proved that the real Ibis is a much smaller species, 

 which we will notice presently. The bird now under consideration is not even commonly found in Egypt, but is 

 brought chiefly from Senegal. 



