MYCTEEIA. 187 



superior. Toes very short, the middle one shortest, much less than half the length 

 of the tarsus (little more than one-third) ; lateral toes nearly eqnal ; claws short, broad, 

 and nail-like." 



Storks are found in all parts of the globe, but only one species {Mycteria americana) 

 occurs in Central America. 



MYCTERIA. 



Mycteria, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 232 (1766) ; Ridgw. Bull. U. S. Geol. & Geogr. Surv. iv. p. 249 

 (1878) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvi. p 314 (1898). 



The single described species of Mycteria, the Jabiru, an inhabitant of the warmer 

 parts of America, is very well known, on account of its enormous and powerful bill, 

 the end of which is turned up to a sharp point, the bill, in fact, being as long as the 

 tarsus of the bird's leg. The head and neck are bare, with the exception of a small 

 patch of down on the occiput. 



I. Mycteria americana. 



Mycteria americana, Linn. Syst. Nat.i. p. 232 ' ; Salv. Ibis, 1865, p. 197 ^ ; 1866, p. 196' ; Nutting, 

 Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. v. p. 407 * ; vi. p. 389 ' ; Richm. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. xvi. p. 526 ' ; 

 A. O. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Bu-ds, 2nd ed. p. 69"; Underw. Ibis, 1896, p. 450' j Sharpe, 

 Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 314°. 



Sericeo-alba, rostro et pedibus nigris ; iride brunnea ; gula nuda scarlatina. Long, tota circa 50-0, alee 24-0, 

 caudae 7-8, culm. 12-5, tarsi 12-0. (Descr. maris ad. ex Huamachal. Mus. nostr.) 



Hob. North Amekica, Southern Texas ■*. — Guatemala, Huamachal {0. S? ^) ; Nicaragua, 

 Rio Escondido {Bichmond ^) ; Costa Rica, La Palma, Gulf of Nicoya ^, Sucuya ^ 

 (Nutting), Miravalles {Underwood^), Rio Frio {Richmond^). — South America 

 generally ^. 



This magnificent Stork occurs in Central America, from Guatemala to Costa Rica ; 

 but, though not recorded from Mexico, it has occasionally been met with in Southern 

 Texas. We found M. americana in the vicinity of the half-dry brackish lakes of 

 Huamachal, but it was nowhere common. Mr. Underwood gives the following note 

 of the species in Costa Rica : — " I occasionally saw these big birds in lagoons ; they 

 generally go in pairs, and can be seen daily at the same spot. The native name is 

 ' Galan sin ventura' (=:The Luckless Gallant)." 



The nest is said to be built on high trees, and the eggs are bluish-green in colour. 



Subfam. TANTALINM. 



The chief character distinguishing the Wood-Ibises from the Storks is the form of 

 the bill, which is smooth and distinctly curved downward at the end. Mr. Ridgway 

 gives the following notes, which may be compared with his definition of the subfamily 



24* 



