THE WHITE IBIS. 57 



itself in any manner, although, if only winged, it runs off with more speed 

 than is pleasant to its pursuer. 



At other times the White Ibis, like the Red and the Wood Ibises, rises to 

 an immense height in the air, where it performs beautiful evolutions. After 

 they have thus, as it were, amused themselves for some time, they glide 

 down with astonishing speed, and alight either on trees or on the ground. 

 Should the sun be shining, they appear in their full beauty, and the glossy 

 black tips of their wings form a fine contrast with the yellowish-white of 

 the rest of their plumage. 



This species is as fond of resorting to the ponds, bayous, or lakes that are 

 met with in the woods, as the Wood Ibis itself. I have found it breeding 

 there at a distance of more than three hundred miles from the sea, and re- 

 maining in the midst of the thickest forests until driven off to warmer lati- 

 tudes by the approach of winter. This is the case in the State of Mississippi, 

 not far from Natchez, and in all the swampy forests around Bayou Sara and 

 Pointe Coupee, as well as the interior of the Floridas. When disturbed in 

 such places, these Ibises fly at once to the tops of the tallest trees, emitting 

 their hoarse hunk, and watch your motions with so much care that it is 

 extremely difficult to get within shot of them. 



The manner in which this bird searches for its food is very curious. The 

 Woodcock and the Snipe, it is true, are probers as well as it, but their task 

 requires less ingenuity than is exercised by the White or the Red Ibis. It 

 is also true that the White Ibis frequently seizes on small crabs, slugs and 

 snails, and even at times on flying insects; but its usual mode of procuring 

 food is a strong proof that cunning enters as a principal ingredient in its 

 instinct. The cray-fish often burrows to the depth of three or four feet in 

 dry weather, for before it can be comfortable it must reach the water. This 

 is generally the case during the prolonged heats of summer, at which time 

 the White Ibis is most pushed for food. The bird, to procure the cray-fish, 

 walks with remarkable care towards the mounds of mud which the latter 

 throws up while forming its hole, and breaks up the upper part of the fabric, 

 dropping the fragments into the deep cavity that has been made by the 

 animal. Then the Ibis retires a single step, and patiently waits the result. 

 The cray-fish, incommoded by the load of earth, instantly sets to work anew, 

 and at last reaches the entrance of its burrow; but the moment it comes in 

 sight, the Ibis seizes it with his bill. * 



Whilst at Indian Key, I observed an immense quantity of beautiful tree 

 snails, of a pyramidal or shortly conical form, some pure white, others 

 curiously marked with spiral lines of bright red, yellow and black. They 

 were crawling vigorously on every branch of each bush where there was 

 not a nest of the White Ibis; but wherever that bird had fixed its habitation, 



Vol. VI. 8 



