INDIAN ZOOLOGY„ 47 



XL 



TANTALUS LEUCOCEPHALUS, . 

 THE WHITE-HEADED IBIS, 



Tantalus Leucocephalus, Gmelin.Lin. i. 649. Latham-, V. I16. 

 Index Ornith, ii. 706^ 



T N fize it is much fuperior to our largeft curlews. The wh i 



bill is yellow, very long, and thick at the bafe, and a 

 little incurvated : the noftrils very narrow, and placed near 

 the head : all the fore part of the head is covered v/ith a 

 bare yellow, and feems a continuance of the bill ; and the 

 eyes are, in a very fingular manner, placed very near its 

 bafe. 



The reft of the head, the neck, back, belly, and fecon- 

 dary feathers, are of a pure white ; a tranfverfe broad band 

 of black croffes the breaft : the quil-feathers, and coverts 

 of the wings, are black: the coverts of the tail are very 

 long, and of a fine pink color j they hang over and con- 

 ceal the tail. 



The legs and- thighs are very long, and of a dull flefli- 

 eolor; the feet femi-palmated, or conneded by webs as 



far as the firft joint. 



■ ,5; - . This 



TE-HE ADE! 



Ibis. 



Descriptiok. 



