ibis. 163 



yellow, growing reddish towards the tip; it is slightly curved, and 

 ends in a blunt point; the fore part of the head, all round as far as 

 the eyes, naked and reddish ; the skin under the throat is also bare, 

 and dilatable ; the plumage reddish white, most inclining to red 

 on the back, and wings ; quills and tail black ; legs long, and the 

 thighs bare for two-thirds of their length ; colour red, the toes united 

 as far as the first joint. Hasselquist adds, that the irides are whitish ; 

 the end of the bill and legs black. 



It is said to be found in Lower Egypt, in great plenty, in places 

 just freed from the inundations of the Nile; lives on frogs and insects; 

 seen in gardens, morning and evening, and sometimes in such 

 plenty, that the palm trees are wholly covered with them ; when at 

 rest they sit quite erect, the tail touching the legs. This author 

 believes it to be the Ibis of the Ancients, because it is both common, 

 as well as peculiar to Egypt, and that it eats serpents, as well as 

 other things ; also, because the urns which contain the remains of 

 embalmed birds, found in sepulchres with the mummies, seem to 

 contain such as are of this size. 



Shaw mentions a bird of this kind called Emseesy, or Ox Bird, 

 and describes it as wholly white, except the bill and legs, which are 

 of a fine red ; and adds, that it feeds on the meadows with the cattle; 

 but the flesh is unsavoury, and soon corrupts. 



Among the drawings of Mr. Dent I met with a Variety of this 

 bird, in it the back part of the bare space of the face is banded with 

 yellow ; the wing coverts white as in the others, but the lower order 

 beautifully barred with pale blue ; the rest of the wings and tail 

 black. 



A Variety is found in Sumatra ; as also one smaller, of a light 

 grey colour, with the abdomen and rump white; wings and tail 

 black ; called Tantalus cinereus. 



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