113* BIRDS OF ILLmOIS, 



SuBOBDER CICONI^.— The Storks and Wood Ibises. 



Family CICONIIDiB.— The Storks and Wood Ibises. 



Chab. Large, Heron-like birds, with bill muuh longer than the bead, thick through the 

 baae, and more or less elongate-conical; the nostrllB sub-basal, more or less superior, and 

 bored into the bony substance of the bill, without overhanging or surrounding membrane; 

 maxilla without any lateral groove. Legs covered with small, longitudinally hexagonal 

 scales ; claws short, depressed, their ends broad and convex, resting upon horny, crescentic 

 "shoes;" hallux with its base elevated decidedly above the base ol the anterior toes. 



The above characters are sufficient to define this fanaily, which 

 is related to the Ibises {IhiMdm) and Spoonbills {PlataldckB) as 

 well as to the Herons. There are two well-marked subfamilies, 

 with the following characters: 



Subfamily CiooniinEe. Bill elongate-conical, acute, compressed, the end not decurved, 

 though sometimes recurved. Nostrils rather lateral than superior. Toes very short, the 

 middle one much less than half the tarsus (only a little more than one third); lateral toes 

 nearly equal: claws short, broad, nail-like. 



Subfamily Tantaliuse. Sill elongated, subcorneal, suboyllndrical, the end attenuated and 

 decurved, with the tip rounded; nostrUs decidedly superior; toes long, the middle toe one 

 halt or mote the length of the tarsus ; lateral toes unequal, the outer decidedly longer than 

 the inner; claws normal, moderately lengthened, rather narrow. 



Sw&FAMiLY TANTALIN^.— The Wood Ibises. 



Genus TANTALUS Linn.bus. 



Tmtdtus Linn. S. N. ed. 10, i. 1768, 140; ed. 12, 1, 1766, 240. Type, T. locidator Linn. 

 . Tantalides Bkichbnb. Hand-b. 1861, p, ziv. Same type. (Not of WaoiiEB, ltS&,=PleiiadU 

 Kaup.) I 



Tantalopa Ooites, Key, 2d ed. 1882, 66S. Same type. 



Oen. Ceab. Large, Stork-like birds, with long legs, neck, and beak, the latter atteaa- 

 ated and decurved terminally, much as in the true Ibises. Bill much thickened at the base, 

 both vertically and laterally, much attenuated terminally, where almost abruptly, but no 

 greatly, decurved. Nostrils bored directly into the bony substance of tiie bill, the maziUa 

 destitute of any traoe'of a nasal groove. Legs covered with small longitudinally hexagonal 

 scales. Toes long, v«ry slender, the middle one about, or a Uttle more than, half the length 

 of the tarsus, the outer one reaahin£ to the middle of the subtermtnal phalanx of the middle 

 toe, the Inner much shorter, not reaching the subterminal artloulation of the middle toa; 



