'.■'pTlI 



IBIDIDyE — THE IBISES — PI.EGADIS. 



95 



jjiimary-coverts, primaries, and lower secondaries brighter broiize-greuu ; upper siicondaries more 

 lirciiizy. wiMi a purple shade in eertuin lights. Uudcr-suri'iu'e dI' wiiign and tail more Imrni.shed, 

 iiiulallic green, bronze, and purple, the tint viu'ving with tiie inclination to the lights ; axillars less 



shilling, and more violaceous ; crissum violet-purple and green, like the rump. Bill black ■ bare 

 Idiid sjiace greenish; legs and feet greeiii.di blackish.^ 



Young {chawjimj from first to second jilunwrje): Head and neck distinctly streaked with dusky 

 brown and white, the dusky streaks wider and more blackish on the pileum, the whitish streaks 

 I'liiduallv beioming more indistinct btdow. Entire lower parts plain snutl'-brown, with a soft 

 purplish tinge, especially on tiie breast and tibia; ; crissum, metallic green and violet. Upper parts 

 dark, metallic violet-purple, green, and In'onze, the first largely predominating, the last in traces ; 

 the liiitk darkest and most uniform, the rump interspersi'd witii bright dark-green feathei's. A 

 it w (lark chestnut feathers intersptnved over the anterior portion of the lesser wing-covert region 

 (No. 57003, Greece). Ynitnij (jclMiujinij from second to third jdumagc) : In general appearance 

 iiiiuli like the preceding, but breast, abdomen, and tibia; mostly reddish chestnut, and the anterior 

 portion of the back and scaiailars niixccl with many feat liers of the same color ; head and neck 

 iiuicli tinged with chestnut, the streaks iiulistiiKt (No. 17493, 9 . Hungary). 



[Note. — The Tantalus viridls of Gmklin (Syst. Nat. II. i. p. (US, no. 8, based on Green Ibis 

 of Latham, Synopsis, III. i. p. 114, no. 13) seems to be this species in incomplete first plunuvge, 

 or still n^taining the downy covering of the head and neck.] 



Length, about 25 inches ; expaii.se, 4:2; wing, 10.20-11.85 ; tail, 4.30-4.50 ; culmen, 4.30-5.45; 

 ihiith of bill, .5(KC0 ; tarsus, 2.00-4.30 ; middle toe, 2.10-2.80 ; bare portion of tiliia, 1.70-3.10. 



01' this species, there are at present before us four adult specimens, two being from Europe and 

 two from America (Tortugas and Jamaica) : between these there is not the slightest difference 

 whatever, beyond the indiviilual discrepancies of size observable in all species of this family. 



The young of 1'. fakiniilus closely resembles that of P. (juaraiina, but is rather darker colored, 

 the upper parts being much more violaceous, and the lower parts less grayish. There are two 

 spcciiiie'is in the collection, — tho.se described above. 



This species, identical with the well-known Bay or Glossy Ibis of Europe, occurs 

 irregulurl}' in the eastern portion of the L'nited States, and has been known to breed 

 in Florida. It has been found on several occasions as far north as Massachusetts, 

 although nowhere abundant in the States bordering ui)on the Atlantic. It was first 

 described as a bird of North America by Mr. ( Jeorge ( )rd, from a specimen obtained 

 at (ireat Egg Harbor, May 7, 1.S17. About the sanu* time another specimen was pro- 

 lured near Baltimore, and two others were taken in the District of Columbia. Mr. 

 Audubon states that in the spring of 1S37 he saw flocks of this bird in Texas ; but 

 it is possible that the birds which he saw there were not of this species. They were 

 apparently only summer residents, associating with the White Ibis, along tlie grassy 

 margins of the rivers and bayous, going to and returning from their roosting-places in 

 the country. Its flight resembles that of its companion, the White Ibis. 



• Audubon says : " Bill black ; bare part of head grayish blue ; iris hazel ; feet grayish black, claws 

 brown." 



