60 THE WHITE IBIS. 



ward, inland as far up the Mississippi as Natchez and Red river. Returns 

 to the Floridas in autumn. 



Adult Male. 



Bill very long, slender, deeper than broad, compressed, tapering, arcuate, 

 obtuse at the tip. Upper mandible with the dorsal line arched in its whole 

 length, the ridge convex, broader towards the end, the sides at the base 

 nearly erect, towards the end very convex and narrow, the ridge separated 

 in its whole length from the sides by a deep narrow groove, the edges in- 

 flected and sharp. Nostrils basal, dorsal, linear, direct. Lower mandible 

 nearly equal to upper, its angle very narrow, and protracted in the form of a 

 groove to the tip, the sides convex, the edges sharp, but strong. 



Head small, compressed; neck long and slender; body slender, deeper 

 than broad; wings rather large. Feet very long, slender; tibiae long, bare 

 about half their length, and covered all round with hexagonal scales; tarsi 

 long, slender, anteriorly covered with numerous broad scutella, the rest with 

 hexagonal scales; toes slender, the first much smaller, the third longest, the 

 fourth considerably shorter, the second very little shorter than the fourth, all 

 covered above with numerous scutella, laterally with angular scales, beneath 

 flattened, with thick soft margins; the anterior connected at the base by 

 membranes, of which the outer is longer; claws small, arched, compressed, 

 obtuse, the middle one with a sharp thin edge. 



Head and throat bare to beyond the eyes, as are the tibiae nearly half way 

 up. Plumage in general soft, unglossed, the feathers rather blended, those 

 of the head and neck narrow and more blended. Wings long, ample, some 

 of the secondaries as long as the longest primary Avhen the wings are closed; 

 third quill longest, but second and fourth almost as long, first longer than 

 fifth; secondaries broad and rounded. Tail short, slightly emarginate and 

 rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. 



Bare parts of the head light orange-red; bill the same, but towards the tip 

 dusky. Iris of a fine pearly blue. Legs and toes paler than the bill; claws 

 dusky, tipped with horn-colour. Plumage pure white, excepting the ends 

 of from three to five of the outer primaries, which are deep black, with blue 

 and green reflexions. 



Length to end of tail 24^ inches, to end of wings 27, to end of claws 31^; 

 extent of wings 40; wing from flexure 12^; tail 4f; bill along the back 5i, 

 along the edge 5§; bare space of tibia If, tarsus 3i, middle toe 2\, its claw 

 f . Weight 2 lbs. 



The adults vary considerably in size, and remarkably in the length of the 

 bill. The extent of the bare space on the head varies according to age. In 

 the breeding season the bill and legs are bright carmine; during the rest of 

 the year paler. 



