348 GRALLATORES, OR WADING BIRDS. 



in August, although sometimes they pass the winter on the 

 coast. Of their sojourn in the British Islands the same may be 

 said. A beautiful variety of the Curlew is found in America. In 

 shooting them the great difficulty is to get within range. The 

 sportsman, if well secreted, may occasionally succeed in obtaining 

 a shot at Curlews by imitating their call. 



The IBIS has a long bill, curved in the direction of the ground, 

 almost square at its base, and rounded towards the termination ; 

 the head and neck are bare. It has four toes ; the three front 

 ones are united at the base by a membrane ; the whole length of 

 the back toe rests upon the ground. 



These birds are inhabitants of the warm regions of Africa, Asia, 

 and America ; only one species, the Green Ibis, being found in 

 Europe. They are to be met with in companies of seven or eight 

 together, in moist and marshy grounds, and on the banks of 

 large rivers, where they catch the worms, water-insects, and small 

 mollusks which form the principal part of their food. They also 

 crop young and tender aquatic plants. Their nature being mild 

 and peaceable, they do not keep shifting about with that petu- 

 lance which characterises some of the Grallse, but have been 

 observed to remain for hours in the same place engaged in 

 digging into the mud which conceals their small prey. Like 

 nearly all the other birds of this order, they migrate every year, 

 and undertake long journeys from one continent to another. 

 They are monogamous, each pair swearing, as it were, eternal 

 fidelity to one another, and death alone can sever the bonds 

 fortified by affection and habit. They usually build their nests 

 on lofty trees, but sometimes on the ground ; the female lays 

 two or three whitish eggs, which hatch in from twenty-five to 

 thirty days. 



There are eighteen to twenty species of the Ibis, of which three 

 only merit our attention. These are the Sacred Ibis, the Gfreen 

 Ibis, and the Scarlet Ibis. 



The Sacred Ibis (Ibis religiosa) is about the size of a Fowl. Its 

 plumage is white, with black at the extremity of the wings and 

 on the rump. It has enjoyed celebrity from ancient times, on 

 account of the veneration of which it was the object by the 



