IBIS FALCINELLUS VAE. OEDII. GLOSSY IBIS. 617 



SubfamUij Ibidix^ : True Ibises. 



IBIS FALCIXELLUS var. OEDII (Bp.) Cones: 

 Glossy or Bay Ibis. 



Tanlalus mexicanus, Ord. Jonrn. Pliila. Acad, i, ISIT. 53 i New JerserV 



IbisfaJeinelliis, Bp., Obs. Wils. IrJ.'S. Xo. 19l» : Am. Oru. ir. 1-:U. 23. pi. -23. f. 1 ; Syn. 1-J-. 

 31'2. — XuTT., Man. ii, 1S!4. ^?. — AuD., Oru. Biog. iv, 1-;!t. 60-.pl. o?7 : Sm. 

 ■r>T ; B. Am. vi, 1-43. 50, pi :':-.— Emm.. Cat. B. Ma.-s. ISIo, 5.— Peab., Eep." B. 

 llass. l?oii, 365. — LtNJL.. Am. Jonrn. Sci. xliv. 1^43. -3*; ^Connecticut). — PcTX., 

 Pr. Ess. Inst. i. l^.'fi, '330 iMassachusettsV— Cabot, Pr. Bost. Soo. iii. 313. Moli. 

 :S5: iv, 346.— Anu-c, Bnll. il. C. Z. ii. 1^71. 361 (Florida'.— Hi Dsox, P. Z. s. 

 IrTO, 799 (biography'i.^RlDGW.. Ann. Lye. X. Y. x, lt74, om; (Illinois). 



Ibis faleindlus var. ordii. CoiF.s, Key. 1^T J. OiiS. 



Ibis ordii. Bp.. List. lr:l^. 49.— Bd.. B. X. A.. 1-5?, 6:>5.— Wheat.. Ohio Agric. Eep. liiV), 

 Xo. IPO (one or two occasions). — Allex, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1n34. -<!i i^Massachn- 

 sens. occasional, inegular). — LiyVR.. Ann. Lye. X. Y'. viii, l^ijt3. ■2i>3 i^Xew York, 

 rare"). — CorES, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 15l■^, iiO v^LissaeLiiSflts. except ion;illj-). — 

 CouES. Pr. Bost. Soc.xii, 1m"^. 103 (South Carolina, summer), — Turn.. B.E. Pa. 

 1S19. 44 (X'ew Jersey, occasional"!. — Mayx., Guide. 1-70, 145 ^ Massachusetts >. — 

 Attt- \- Am. Xat. iii, 1-70, 637 (Massachusetts andXen" Hampshire). 



Faldndhis ordii, Up., Consp. ii. 1-^o5. 150.— Ctn es. Pr. Phila. Acad. ISOu, 9(3 (Arizona). 

 In the present nncertainty attending the discrimination of species. I only quote the 



references to the ordinary X'orth American bird. 



Mab. — TJnit«d States, southerly, straying north to Massaclmsens and Ohio. 



The Glossy Ibis is not fio^ired iu Wilson's OrnithologY, and remained 

 an unknown inhabitant of the United Stares np to the termination of 

 that author's labors. In 1S17 a specimen was taken iu Xew Jersy. and 

 anuounced by Mr. Oixi under the name of laittahis meiicaruis. Siuee 

 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, ho"vrerer, its occurrence must be considered as 

 accidental. Audubon says that he found it in flocks in Texas, but gives 

 only a meagre account of its habits, yuttall's article is mainly an ac- 

 count of Ibises in general, devoted principally to mention of ancient, 

 and particularly Egyptian, chronicles and superstitions regarding them. 

 The United States species was first separated under the name of ordii 

 by Bonaparte, 1S3S. 



The eggs of Ibises are very difierentfrom those of Herons. The shell 

 is heavier, rougher, and more granular, the difference in texture being 

 very apparent : and are ovoidal, not ellipsoidal, with considerable dif- 

 ference in the degree of convexity of the two ends. Those of the Glossy 

 Ibis measure from 1.90 by l.io to 2.10 by 1.50. and are of a doll greenish- 

 blue color, without marfciugs. The number usually deposited is believed 

 to be three. 



Family AEDEIDJE: Herons. 



Subfamily AEDEix.a;: True Herons. 



AEDEA HERODIAS. Linn. 



Great Bine Heron. 



Ardea berodim, Ltn-n.. Syst. X"at. i, 1766, 037 ^based on Cates.. iii. 10. and Bmss,, v, 

 416).- Gm.. Syst.' Xat. 17Sr, 030.— Lath,. lud. Orn. ii, 1700, I'OC (Aret, Zool. ii, 

 •234 : Gen. Svii. v. S5\— "n'lLS.. Am. Orn. viii. 1^14. 0-, pi. 65. tig. 5.— Temm., Man. 

 ii, 1--30. SiW.— Bp..Obs."Wils. Ir25. Xo. 15S; Svu, l--2r,3o4: List. 1-3-. 47 : Consp. 

 ii, IS.Vi. 11-2.— Sw, & Rich.. F. B. A. ii, l^ol. :T7:1 (Hudson's Bav\— Xutt., Man. 

 ii, 1534, 42.— ACD., Om. Biog. iii, 1-35, -7 ; v, 59i> : pi. -211 ; Svu. 15C.0. 265; B. 



