339 



breed in Morocco. Colonel Irby says that he saw large flocks at the lakes of Ras-Dowra late in 

 April, and adds that they were very wary. 



It is found in Africa nearly as far south as the Cape colony. Verreaux records it from the 

 Gaboon ; there are specimens from Senegal in the Leiden Museum ; it is recorded from Casa- 

 manse by Beaudouin, and has occurred in Sierra Leone. Hartlaub cites it as a South-African 

 species ; but Layard never met with it in the Cape colony. Ayres obtained it in Natal ; Peters 

 records it from Mozambique ; I have a specimen from Madagascar ; and Dr. Kirk, who records 

 it from the Zambesi, says (Ibis, 1864, p. 334) that it is "rather common, but a shy bird, difficult 

 to approach; its cry is loud and harsh. It feeds in marshes and near rivers,. but perches on the 

 high trees when disturbed." 



In Asia the Glossy Ibis is widely distributed. It occurs on the Caspian in considerable 

 numbers; and Mr. A. O. Hume writes (Stray Feathers, i. p. 257) as follows: — "The Glossy Ibis 

 occurred in huge flocks in and about many of the larger inland lakes of Upper Sindh ; but I 

 never met with it in Lower Sindh. We got it in every stage, from the quite young bird, with a 

 bill of about 3'75, and without a vestige of ruddy tint below or of purple reflections above, to 

 the old bird in full breeding-plumage, with a bill over 5 - 5 in length." According to Dr. Jerdon 

 it is very numerous and widely distributed in India during the cold season ; and it even breeds as 

 far south as Ceylon, where Captain Legge found it nesting near Tissa Maha Rama in March 1872. 

 It is stated to occur in Cochin China, but has not been met with in Siberia, China, or Japan. 



In the Leiden Museum are specimens from Java, Borneo, Northern Celebes, and Macassar ; 

 and Rosenberg records it from New Guinea. Mr. Gould says (B. of Austr. ii. p. 286), it " has 

 been found in every part of the vast continent of Australia at present known to us. I observed 

 examples in the collection formed by Bynoe on the north coast ; and I have seen others obtained 

 in New South Wales and South Australia." 



In America the range of this species is not well defined. Speaking of its occurrence in 

 the United States, Dr. Coues states (B. of N.W. Am. p. 517) : — " In 1817 a specimen was taken 

 in New Jersey, and announced by Mr. Ord under the name of Tantalus mexicanus. Since that 

 time it has been found at irregular intervals along our coast, chiefly in the southern and middle 

 districts, but occasionally as far north as Massachusetts, where, however, its occurrence must be 

 considered as accidental." Mr. C. Hart Merriam (Rev. B. Connect, p. 110) says that Linsley 

 obtained five specimens at Stratford, Connecticut, and there is an example in the Museum of the 

 Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut, taken near there by Dr. Barrat about the year 

 1855. I obtained it in Texas, and found it numerous near Matamoras, in Mexico, in August, 

 appearing earlier than Ibis alba. How far southward it occurs it is difficult to say, as there are 

 two allied species — Plegadis guarauna (L.), which differs in having a white band, enclosing the 

 eye, passing around the base of the bill, the latter being apparently dark red, and Plegadis 

 ridgwayi (Allen), which differs in having the underparts dark, not rufous, the back and edge of 

 the wings also lacking the rufous coloration ; the head and upper neck are more rufous than 

 in Plegadis falcinellus, there being no dark colour on the forehead and face, and the bill appears, 

 from the dried skin, to be red. The former of these two species, both of which have been 

 confused with Plegadis falcinellus, ranges from the Columbia river to Chili and Buenos Ayres; 

 and the latter inhabits Peru. 



