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84 



ALTRICIAL GKALLATOIIES — IIERODIONES. 



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occurs ill most of the West India Islands tliat afford suitable places of resort. 

 Leotaud states that it occasionally visits Trinidad, where he has often met with it 

 perched upon the large trees that grow on the edges of swampy places, or walking 

 on the borders of pools. lie does not give it as a resident of the island, but re- 

 garded it as a mere winter visitant, only seen from July to October. He speaks 

 of it as eminently sociable, as being usually seen in small flocks, and of its food 

 as chiefly reptiles. 



Mr. Dresser mentions it as of not uncommon occurrence near San Antonio. He 

 was informed by the jdanters that it breeds on the Brazos and Colorado rivers, 

 Texas. Mr. Boardman informs me that in Florida it is usually known as a "Gan- 

 net," from the apiwarance it jjresents in the air as it flies. He found it nesting in 

 swamps, in cypress trees, the nests resembling those of Herons. In these this bird 

 roosts throughout the year, when not occupied in incubation. 



Dr. Bryant visited two of its breeding-places. The flrst was in a large cypress 

 swamp at the head-waters of the St. Sebastian. The trees were more than a hun- 

 dred feet in height, and he could not by any means get access to the nests. The 

 Ibises were breeding in company with the large White Egret. The other breeding- 

 place was in the cypress swamp forming the southern border of Lake Ashby, where 

 there were probably a thousand pairs nesting. Every available spot on the tops of 

 the cypresses had been taken possession of by a pair, and lower down Avere nests of 

 the Anhingas. No other bird was breeding there except a single pair of Fish-hawks, 

 whose nest was surrounded by those of the Ibis. On flrst approaching the shore, 

 the birds all rose and flew round in circles, and after a few of them had been killed, 

 flew off; but soon returned, and alighted out of reach among the trees. The nests 

 were all made of small twigs, and seemed to have been occupied for many years. 

 The cavity was quite deep, and carefully lined with long moss. The eggs Avere three 

 in number, nearly white, when not soiled by the parent bird or stained by the moss. 

 Three specimens, selected by Dr. Bryant, gave the following measurements, — the 

 longest 2.56 by 1.54 inches, the broadest 2.28 by 1.57 inches, and one of average size 

 2.32 by l.Gl inches. Incubation had commenced by the 1st of April, and many of 

 the young were already hatched. The largest were about the size of a Pigeon, and 

 covered with white down. 



Mr. Audubon's observations relative to the habits of this bird led him to some 

 conclusions which are not so general as he supposed, and which the experience of 

 others shows to be not without exceptions. According to him it is rarely met with 

 singly, even after the breeding-season. He states that a number of these birds get 

 together to feed, that they flrst dance about in the water to render it muddy, and then 

 take advantage of this condition to kill the reptiles and flsh in large numbers before 

 eating them. Without discrediting this statement, it is yet apparent that this is by 

 no means its universal, or even its common, course ; and much of the food found in 

 its stomach could not have been procured in this way. 



He describes its flight as heavy on rising from the ground ; its neck is then deeply 

 curved downward, its wings flap heavily, and its legs are not stretched out behind 

 until it has proceeded several yards. It then ascends with great celerity, generally 

 in a spiral direction, in silence, if not alarmed ; if frightened, it utters a rough gut- 

 tural croaking note. It proceeds in a direct flight, with alternate flapping and sailing, 

 the latter being more prolonged. It alights on trees with more ease than the Heron, 

 and either stands erect, or crouches on the branch in the manner of a Wild Turkey. 

 When at rest it places its bill against its breast, while the neck seems to shrink 

 between the shoulders. In this position one may sometimes see fifty on the same 



