56 



plumage on the upper parts dusky black, glossed with green 

 and purple. Wings and tail the same. The whole under parts 

 much duller, with scarcely any bronze. Thighs rather paler, 

 half way naked. Legs and feet long. Claws much crooked, 

 the inside of the middle one pectinated. Legs, feet, and 

 claws of a dingey black or horn colour. 



" This Ibis was shot, September 28, 1 793? vvhile skimming 

 with another over the river Thames, between Henley and 

 Readino-, and was supposed to be a bittern. I found nothing 

 in his stomach but undigested plants. He had many pedi- 

 culi, and a vast number of other small insects about him, 

 which I sent to my learned friend and patron T. Marsham, 

 Esq., Tr. L. S." 



That this bird was held in the highest estimation 

 amongst the antient Egyptians, is clearly demonstrated by 

 the following account given of him by one of their kings : — 



Kap/ay fiov\6i/.£voi ypd(pziv, ''Kiv ^ujypa(pov(ri, to ydp ^wov 

 'EpiJ^T} ixKilwtai, irda-r^g KOCpSlas kx\ Xoyitrp^yj '^sffitotr., stei xs.) t) 

 "^Ifi? auTO y.o'S avTO rr, xccpSloc s<rr\v 3y.(pBprj;' Ttspi ov Aoyo; scrr) 

 'TrXslcrtos Ttap Alyvirrloig (pspof^svos. 



'D.pov 'AiroXXwyo; "NeiXmov 'IspoyXvipiiia.. Ed. Par. 1551. 



'' When they wish to signify the heart they draw an Ibis : 

 for that animal is dedicated to Mercury, the sovereign of 

 every heart and thought ; also because the Ibis of itself* is 

 very like the heart : about which much is said among the 

 Egyptians." 



We consider this as one of the same genus with the fa- 

 mous bird which the Egyptians worshipped, but not the 

 identical species, about which there is so much dispute. 

 This one is rather smaller than those preserved among the 

 mummies. We are doubtful whether it is the same bird 

 that Latham describes; for he says " pedibus cseruleis, alis 

 caudaque violaceis," in his Specific Character. Lath. Ind. 

 Orn. 2. 707. 



• Or perhaps folded up into itself, that is, with its head under its wing, in 

 which posture jEiian says that it resembles a heart. — R.T. 



