SUBORDER jLLlljXtUJJiUJNJlib I HERONS AUD THEIR ALLIES. 



Family TANTALID^ : Ibises, &c. 



Ibises inhabit the warmer ijarts of both hemispheres. They are nearly related to 

 Herons, but diifer in the shape of the bill, sometimes thick and heavy, or even spoon- 

 shaped, sometimes Tery long, slender, and decurved, like a Curlew's; in the more or 

 leas extensive baldness of the head, absence of pectination of the middle claw, and 

 other characteristics. We have several species, the Wood, Glossy or Bay, White, and 

 Red Ibis, and the Spoonbill, which also belongs here. The Jabiru of tropical America 

 (Mycteria ammcana), may be brought under this family, though generally referred to the 

 Storks (Ciconiidffi). This singular bird was once taken in Texas, though the fact is 

 known to few, the bird having been but lately introduced to our fauna (CorES, Check- 

 list, 1874, App. 135, No. 4486is). 



Two species of Ibis, the Wood and Bay, are known to occur so near the Missouri 

 region, that I shall introduce them here, confident that they have a place about the 

 mouth of the river, though not yet actually detected there. 



Subfamily Taktalinje : ^Yood Ibises. 



TANTALUS LOCULATOE, Linn. 



Wood Ibis. 



Tantalus locuJatm;l.J^-^., Svst. Nat. i, 1766, 240 (Cates., i, SI ; Brass., v, 335).— Gm., 

 Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 647.— Lath., Ind. Cm. ii, 1790 (Wood Ibis, Arct. Zool. ii,No. 

 360; Gen.Svn. v, 104 ; PI. Eul. 8(i8j.— WrL!3.,Am.0m. viii, 1814,39,pl. 66,f. 1.— 

 Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 197; Syn. 1828, 310; List, 1838, 48; Consp. ii, 1855, 

 149.— Wagl., Isis, 1831, 530.— Ndtt., JJau. ii, 1834, 82.- Ai'D., Om. Biog. iii, 

 1835, 128, pi. 216 ; Syn. 1839, 259 ; B. Am. vi, 1843, 64, pi. 361.— Ke^'x., Pr. 

 Phila. Acad, v, 1850, 391- (Southern Illinois). — GusD., J. f. O. iv, 18.j6 348 

 (Cuba).— Bd., B. X. A. 1858, 652.- ScL., Ibis, i, 1859, 227 (Guatemala).— ScL., 

 P. Z. S. 1860, 253 (Orizaba) ; iiid. 290 (Ecuador).— La WR., Ann. Lvc. 1861, 334 

 (Panama).— Dbess., Ibis, 1866, 32 (Texas).- Sex. & Saev., P. Z. S. Ie66, 199 ; 

 1873, 305 (Ucayali, Peru).— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Rep. 1860, p. 21 of reprint 

 (quotes IDinois and Wii^consiu).— CouES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 18e6, 96 (Colorado 

 River up to Fort Mojave).— CouES, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868. 123 (South Caro- 

 lina).— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 360 (Florida).— Pelz., Orn. Bras. 305 

 (Brazil).— Reixh., Vid. Med. Nat. Forh. 1870, 23 (Brazil).- CoUES, Kev, 1872 

 262, fig. 175.— RiDGW., Ann. Lye. N. Y. x, 1874, 385 (Illinois). 



Tantalus plumicoUis, Spix, Av. Bras. pi. 85. 



"Ibis nandasson ; I. nandapoa, Vieill." {Gray ^- iJp.) 



Hab. — South Atlantic and Gulf States, and across in corresponding latitudes to the 

 Colorado River. North to Ohio, Illinois, and the Carolinas (accidentally to Penn- 

 sylvania, Chester County ; Vincent Barnard, in letter to Prof. Baird). Cuba. Mexico. 

 Central and South America. La Plata {Burmeister). 



The Wood Ibis is a remarkable and interesting bird. In its general 

 size, shape and color, it might be likened to a Crane, being about lour 

 feet long, and standing still higher when erect; white in color, with 

 black-tipped wings and black tail. The head is peculiar, being entirely 

 bald in the adult bird, and having an enormously thick, heavy bill 

 tapering and a little decurved at the end. In Florida it is sometimes 

 called the " Gannet " ; on the Colorado it is known as the Water Turkey. 



Mr. Allen found the birds common in the Upper Saiut John's, in 

 Florida. " In March they were undergoing their spring moult, and were 

 consequently in poor plumage. According to Dr. Bryant, who, so far 

 as I am aware, is the first and only writer who has minutely described 

 their eggs and breeding habits, incubation is generally commenced by 

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