PLEGADIS.— HAEPIPEIOX. 195 



built m reed-beds, being neatly made of dead rushes and supported by the growing 

 plants. The birds build in communities, generally in the same districts as the Herons, 

 but, as a rule, slightly apart from them. The eggs are three in number and of a deep 

 bluish-green colour. 



HARPIPRION. 



Harpiprion, Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 1232 ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 25 (1898). 



This genus belongs to that section of the Ibises which has the front of the tarsus 

 reticulated and covered with hexagonal scales. The plumage is of a dark metallic 

 hue, with the head densely feathered and having a slight crest of metallic-green plumes 

 on the nape. The lores and chin are bare, as well as a line along the sides of the 

 throat. 



Only one representative of the genus is known, widely distributed throughout 

 South America and reaching northward to the State of Panama. 



1. Harpiprion cayennensis. 



Courly vert de Cayenne, D'Aubent. PL Enl. viii. t. 820 \ 



Tantalus cayennensis, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 652 ". 



Harpiprion cayennensis, Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 1232 ' ; Cass. Pr. Acad. Philad. 1860, p. 197* ; Lawr. 



Ann. Lye. N. Y. vii. p. 479 ' ; Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1864, p. 372° ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. 



Mus. xxvi. p. 25 ''. 



Supra metallice bronzino-brunneus, olivaceo et viridi nitens ; alis pauUo viridioribus, tectricibua majoribus 

 cbalybeo nitentibus ; remigibus chalybeo- vel purpureo-nigris, viridi et bronzino extus nitentibus ; 

 secundarlis intimis dorso concoloribus ; cauda saturate viridi, metallioe purpureo nitente ; pileo et facie 

 lateral! cum gutture toto sordide cinerasoenti-brunneis ; pileo postico, nucha, collo postico et lateral! 

 plumis lanceolatis metallice viridibus oruatis ; corpore reliquo subtus nigricante, olivaceo-viridi adum- 

 brate ; subeaudalibus metallice viridibus ; subalaribus peetore concoloribus ; remigibus intus metallice 

 chalybeo et viridi nitentibus : rostro et faciei area nuda virescenti-cinereis ; pedibus pallidioribus, virescenti- 

 ciuereis ; iride brunnea. Long, tota circa 20'5, alae 11-2, caudae 5-6, culm. 4-3.5, tarsi 2-3. (Descr. maris 

 adulti es Lion Hill, Panama. Mus. nostr.) 



Ilah. Panama, Lion Hill Station (M'Leannan^^'''), River Nercua (Wood^). — South 

 America, Colombia '', Ecuador ^, Guiana '', Brazil ^. 



II. cayennensis is described as shy and suspicious in habit, frequenting streams and 

 swamps in the forest districts of South America, where the bird gathers its prey, which 

 consists largely of insects. It may often be seen during the day sitting on the branch 

 of a tree, uttering a peculiar loud vibrating cry, taking flight towards evening. 



We have no information with regard to the nest and eggs of this species. 



25 



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