344 GLOSSY IBIS. 



come to us in central Italy through Sardinia and Corsica from the 

 coasts of Barbary, and continue their journey hence to the vast marshes 

 of eastern Europe and the Caspian Sea, where they are well known to 

 breed, though nothing is yet ascertained of their mode of propagation. 

 Be this as it may, the Glossy Ibis in the north and west of Europe is 

 a very rare bird, and merely a straggler, whilst it is common at its 

 passage in Poland, Hungary, southern Russia, Turkey and Greece, 

 especially the islands of the Archipelago. It is found also in Austria 

 and Bavaria, and in other parts of Germany, especially on the Danube ; 

 and occasionally near the lakes of Switzerland, but hardly ever in 

 Holland, the north of France, or England. In Sweden it is also met 

 with, though extremely rare : it has been observed in Gothland, along 

 the marshes of the interior parts of the island, and been killed in 

 Scania : it is registered among the rare birds that visit Iceland. It has 

 been found common along the rivers of the Islands of Java and the 

 Celebes ; is periodically known during seven months in Egypt, coming 

 in October and disappearing in March : it is later in coming, and dis- 

 appears after, and in quite a different direction from the white sacred 

 kind : like this they follow the overflowing of the Nile, retiring gradu- 

 ally as the water becomes too deep. It is very common about the 

 Black, and especially the Caspian Seas, the great rendezvous and breed- 

 ing place of Waders, where appears to be their chief quarters, and 

 whence they spread into Siberia and Tartary. Great numbers are also 

 met with in the Ural Desert. The Arabs in Egypt kill the Glossy Ibis 

 by shooting them, and catch many in nets, so that in autumn the 

 markets of the cities of Lower Egypt, that of Damietta especially, are 

 abundantly furnished with Ibises of this species, as well as the White, 

 now no longer sacred, which are exposed for sale with the heads cut 

 off. When taken alive, these birds appear really very low spirited, and 

 reject food : they stand upright, the body horizontal, the neck much 

 bent, the head inclined, moving it from right to left, advancing or with- 

 drawing it, and striking the ground with the point of their bill. They 

 often stand on one leg like the Stork : are by no means shy, and will 

 open their bill to defend themselves if you stretch out your hand, but 

 their bite is scarcely felt. 



It should be mentioned that although this is the Black Ibis of antiquity, 

 it is by no means that of systematical writers, which they describe as 

 really black, with a red bill and feet. Such a species is very seldom if 

 ever seen in Egypt. 



