134 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 
now become cultivated ground. This view might 
be taken from the extensive use of papyrus in 
dynastic days, almost implying that it grew 
commonly near at hand. What is certain, how- 
ever, is that it does not do so now; and Ibis and 
papyrus are so joined together that, the one being 
absent, the other is also. In the plate I have there- 
fore shown Ibis in a regular jungle of papyrus. 
There is something strange, almost weird, about 
the appearance of this bird, with his bald black 
head ; something almost priestly about the black 
and white drooping wings forming a vestment from 
which springs the thin, black, naked neck and back. 
Some will see none of these things, and only find 
a resemblance to an ugly vulture. It is rather a 
moody sort of bird, and does not get on over well 
with other birds when kept in confinement. It 
eats nearly anything that comes out of the water, 
and is especially partial to a nice young fat frog. 
1 Tt was by M. Legran’s courtesy that I was allowed to make my first 
drawings of papyrus, from some that was found growing in the garden of 
his charming house at Karnak. 
