1877. J Mil. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE IBIDINiE. 



487 



mens of the present species should entitle such individuals to a 

 distinctive rank, as it is onlj a part of the seasonal dress. In regard 

 to tbe_ extent of the greenish-black colour on the ends of ''the 

 primaries, I find it varies greatly in different examples from the same 

 country. Thus, one in the Paris Museum, from the Cape of Good 

 Hope, has the end of the first primary greenish black for If inch ; 

 while another, from Sumatra, in the same collection has the first 

 primary covered for 3| inches from the tip with the same colour. 

 In the face of such facts, and with specimens before me from Aus- 

 tralia, the Moluccas, and Africa, no two of which are exactly alike 

 in their coloration, as above stated, I cannot do otherwise than 

 consider Mr. Gould's bird from Australia the same as the African 

 /. wthiopica, and consign his name to the list of its synonyms 

 Mr. Gould says that in Australia this bird goes in small flocks 

 from five to twenty in number, and frequents the wet hollows of 

 lagoons, and banks of rivers, seeking frogs, newts, and insects. It 

 is wary, and difficult to approach sufficiently near to bring it within 

 shooting-distance. 



Mr. Ayres states that this species frequents the Bay of Natal and 

 the mouths of the rivers along the coast, and are very shy. He has 

 seen them in company with Spoonbills and White Herons, sunning 

 themselves on the upper boughs of the mangroves, and at low water 

 feeding on the mud-banks with the Curlews, Egrets, and Herons. 

 When flying they usually form a figure like Swans and Geese. It 

 arrives in the Zambesi region, according to Dr. Kirk, from the north 

 m December, and frequents the sea-coast. He says the flesh is very 

 good eating. ^ 



Gould describes the back of the head and neck as crossed by 

 narrow distinct bands of rose-pink, and on the crown of the head is 

 a series of oval spots arranged in the form of a star of the same 

 colour. However, while in some specimens these are conspicuous, 

 in others they are scarcely apparent, and in the dried skins these 

 marks are not visible. As the allied form I. melanoeephala has 

 also this same style of coloration, as stated by Blyth, it has no 

 specific value. 



Head and neck bare of feathers ; skin black ; tips of the primaries 

 greenish black, varying in extent among individuals on the first 

 primary from 1 inch to 3| inches. Tertials with open, much 

 lengthened and diminished webs falling over and covering the 

 lower part of the wing, blackish purple. Entire rest of plumage 

 pure white. In some specimens the feathers of the lower part of the 

 neck are lengthened into a tuft. Bill black; iris reddish brown. 

 Legs horn-colour. 



Total length 29 to 30 inches ; wing 14 inches ; tail 6 inches ; bill 

 along culmen varying from .5 to 8 inches ; tarsus 3| inches. 



Young have the neck covered with short white feathers. 



2. Ibis bernieri. 



Ibis bernieri, Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (18.57) vol. ii. p. 151 ; Sclat. 

 Proc. Zool. Soc. (1870) p. 382. 



