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TWEEX THE WHITE AND SCARLET IBISES 



{ECDOCl^fcrs a Liu is axd e. 



RUBER). 



B\' i!()hi-;i:t inrxavAY. 



Thk White Il)is {Emiocimns alhiis) and the Scarlet Ibis {^E. 

 ri/ber) agree minutely in the details of structure, in size, and in 

 pattern of coloration. The former, however, in the adult stage 

 is white, with greenish biack tips to the outer primaries, while 

 the latter is intense scarlet with bkie-black tips to the same 

 feathers. Both have red bills and feet, and blue irides, although 

 the bill is sometimes blackish, especially toward the end. In 

 other words, an E. a/6?/s dyed scarlet would be indistinguishable 

 from an E. ruber, while a specimen of the latter with the red 

 coloring destroyed by some artificial pi"ocess would in all respects 

 pass for an E. albus but for the different gloss to the black quill- 

 tips. It is known that when kept in zoological gardens in tem- 

 perate climates the Scarlet Ibis loses its scarlet livery and assumes 

 a pinkish or rose-colored dress. In the 'Guide to the Gardens of 

 the Zoological Society of London,' this circumstance is mentioned, 

 in the following words : ''Nothing can be more intense in color 

 than the Scarlet Ibis, when its plumage is developed under the 

 hot sun of tropical America. In Europe, however, it rarel\- re- 

 produces this gorgeous livery ; and at eacli successive moult the 

 adult birds usually become more pale." Mr. J. H. Gurnev calls 

 attention to the same fact in 'The Ibis' for July. 1883, page 392, 

 and says that this bird when brought alive to England in full adult 

 plumage "loses its gorgeous crimson coloring at the next moult 

 and assumes a rose-colored li\ery, which it retains as long as it 

 survives in this countrs ."' He furthermore states (p. 393) that 

 Air. Bartlett, superintendent of the Zoological Society's Gardens 

 in London, informs him that he has '"verified thisbv observations 

 during a long series of years." 



If so great a modification of plumage is wrought in the same 

 individual bv changed conditions of environment, it seems not 

 impossible tliat a further change of color might ensue in the 

 progeny of birds breeding in colder climates (assuming that thev 



