ORDER GRALLiE. 355 



neck, is denuded of feathers. The species are found 

 in India and South America. 



American Tantalus. Wood Ibis. Lath. Tantalus 

 Loculator. Lin. Enl. 868. Wils. viii. Ixvi. 1. 



Is as tall as a stork, but more slender. White, with 

 the wing and tail-quills black ; bill and feet blackish, 

 as well as the naked skin of the head and neck. It 

 inhabits both Americas, arriving in each country at 

 the rainy season, frequenting stagnant and muddy 

 waters, where it particularly searches for eels. Its 

 gait is slow, and disposition stupid.* 



./African Tantalum. Egyptian Ibis. Lath. Tantalus 

 Ibis. Lin. Enl. 339. 



White, slightly shaded with purple on the wings, 

 with a yellow biU, and skin of the face naked and 

 red. This was for a long time considered by natural- 

 ists to be the bird so reverenced by the ancient 

 Egyptians under the name of Ibis ; but recent 

 researches have proved that the Ibis is a much 

 smaller species, of which we shall speak a little far- 

 ther on. This tantalus is not even commonly found 

 in Egypt. It is brought from Senegal to Europe.t 



• The Ibis Nandapoa, Vieill. from Cangui of Azara, 344. The young of 

 the second year is T. Loculator, Wilson, A. O. viii. t. 66, f. 1 ; when young 

 is Tantalus PlumicoUis, Spix. Braz. t. 85 ; and also Tantalus PtUus, 

 Gmelin. 



f The Tantalus Rhodinopterus, Wagler. Ibis Candida, Perrault. Hist. 

 Acad. xiii. t. 13. Hasselquist, Ardea Ibis, appears to hQArdea Misata. 



A a2 



