610 GLOSSY IBIS. 



convex, the edges sharp, but strong and closely approximated, bear- 

 ing only a very narrow groove between them. 



Head small, compressed, oblong ; neck long and slender ; body 

 slender, deeper than broad ; wings rather large. Feet very long, slen- 

 der ; tibia long, bare about half its length, and covered all round with 

 hexagonal scales ; tarsi long, slender, anteriorly covered with nume- 

 rous broad scutella, laterally with angular scales, beneath flattened, 

 with thick soft margins ; the anterior connected at the base by mem- 

 branes, of which the outer is large ; claws rather small, slightly arched, 

 compressed, tapering, pointed, that of the middle toe with a sharp thin 

 edge. 



There is a bare space margining the forehead, occupying the part 

 before the eye, and extending a little beyond it. Feathers of the head 

 and neck slender lanceolate ; those of the former glossy and compact, 

 of the latter blended, as are those of the breast and abdomen, which 

 are ovate. The upper parts highly glossed, with silky lustre, the feathers 

 generally ovate and rounded. Wings long, ample, the first primary a 

 quarter of an inch shorter than the second, which is two-twelfths longer 

 than the third, the rest moderately graduated ; the first sinuate on the 

 inner web near the end, the second less deeply so ; some of the inner 

 secondaries elongated, but rounded, and when the wing is closed an 

 inch and ten-twelfths shorter than the longest primary. Tail short, 

 very slightly emarginate, of twelve rounded feathers. 



Bill black ; bare part of the head greyish-blue ; iris hazel ; feet 

 greyish-black, claws brown. The upper part and sides of the head are 

 dark glossy, with purplish reflections. The neck, a portion of the back 

 anteriorly, the breast, abdomen, and legs, are of a deep rich brownish- 

 red or dark chestnut ; part of the breast shaded with green, the sides 

 dusky tinged with green, as are the lower wing-coverts, and lower tail- 

 coverts. Excepting the anterior edge of the wing, and the anterior 

 scapulars, which are deep glossy brownish-red, the upper parts are 

 splendent dark green, glossed with pm-ple ; the primaries black, shaded 

 with green ; the tail glossy with purple reflections. 



Length to end of tail 25 inches ; to end of claws SO? ; bill along 

 the ridge 5^^, along the edge of lower mandible b^^ ; wing from flexure 

 \1\ ; tail 4^ ; bare part of tibia 2^ ; hind toe li^^, its claw || ; second 

 toe 1\\, its claw H ; third toe 2/^, its claw ^^•, fourth toe 2^*^, its 

 claw -i^. 



