138 IBIDIN^E. 



by Dr Moore, in Devonshire ; the third near Ipswich, and the 

 fourth near Poole, in Dorsetshire. 



Ardea nigra, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 235. Ardea nigra, Lath. 

 Ind. Ornith. ii. 677- Ciconia nigra, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 

 ii. 561. Ciconia nigra, Black Stork, MacGillivray, Brit. 

 Birds, iv. 



The transition from the Storks to the Tantali is but slight, 

 and were there not other birds intimately connected with 

 the latter, they might even be referred to the same group. 

 But as the Tantali pass into the Ibises, and the latter into 

 the Curlews, it is necessary to separate them from the Storks 

 and Herons, from which they differ not only in the form of 

 the bill, but in having two coecal appendages to the intestine, 

 and in the form of the tongue, which is extremely short. 



FAMILY XL. IBIDIN.E. IBIDINE BIBDS, 

 OR IBISES. 



Birds of large or moderate size, resembling Herons in 

 their general appearance, but with the bill more elon- 

 gated, and more or less arched. The body ovate ; the 

 neck long, and rather slender ; the head of moderate 

 size, ovate or oblong, flattened above, little compressed, 

 bare in front. Bill very long, arcuate, stout at the base, 

 gradually attenuated, with the tip obtuse. Mouth rather 

 narrow ; tongue extremely small, triangular, flat, and 

 thin ; oesophagus wide ; stomach large, broadly elliptical, 

 muscular, with the epithelium dense, and longitudinally 

 rugous ; intestine of moderate length and width ; cceca 

 very small ; cloaca globular. Trachea destitute of infe- 

 rior laryngeal muscles. Nostrils linear, subbasal, near 

 the ridge. Eyes small, in a bare space, which extends 

 to the bill. Aperture of ear rather small, and roundish. 

 Legs long, rather slender ; tibia bare in its lower half, 

 reticulated ; tarsus long, rather stout, reticulated, or scu- 



