IBIS. 



147 



eyes, bare of feathers, passing from one eye to the other, over the 

 crown, and of a reddish colour; plumage in general black, with 

 a gloss of violet on the body, and of green on the wings and tail ; 

 legs covered with scales. 



Inhabits Paraguay ; generally seen single, or in pairs, but now 

 and then in a flock of about six : wades in the water, as most others 

 of the Genus. It seems in many things to coincide with the Mexican 

 Species. Said to be not uncommon in Brazil. 



7.— WHITE-NECKED IBIS. 



Tantalus albicollis, Ind. Orn. ii. 704. Gm. Lin. i. 053. 



Grand Courlis de Ca3'enne, Buf. viii. 47. 



Le Mandurria, ou Curucau, Voy. d'Azara, iv. No. 362. 



Courly a Col blanc, PI. enl. 976. 



White-necked Ibis, Gen. Syn. v. 109. 



BIGGER than a Common Curlew ; length twenty-seven inches. 

 Bill black ; head and neck rufous white, the first deeper coloured ; 

 between the bill and eye bare ; plumage in general brown, undulated 

 with grey, and glossed with green ; greater wing coverts white ; 

 legs red. 



Inhabits Cayenne ; common also at Brazil, Paraguay, and quite 

 to the River Plata ; called by the Portuguese Massarico ; chiefly 

 seen in pairs, sometimes in flocks of fifty; is rarely found in moist 

 places, preferring dry spots, and feeding on worms, grasshoppers, 

 and other insects ; passes the night on trees, and breeds in those 

 parts : the nest is large, composed of sticks, and placed on the trunk 

 of a decayed tree : the name of the bird is from its cry, being 

 Crucau or Curucau ; fancied to be like the noise of the strokes of a 

 caulker's mallet. It is by some taken young, and brought up tame, 

 so as to feed quietly among the poultry. 



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