APPENDIX. 177 



temporary paradife vanifhed : the land was overflowed no 

 more; the fands of the defert refumed their ancient ftation ; 

 there were no inhabitants in the country, no pools of water 

 for the Ibis, nor was the viper a nuifance. The Ibis retired 

 to his native country Ethiopia, in the lower part of which, 

 that is, in a hot country full of pools of ftagnant water, 

 he remains, and there I found him. 



It is probable in Egypt he had increafed greatly by the 

 quantity of food and good entertainment he had Upon thefe 

 failing, he probably died and wore out of Egypt ; and in 

 the proportion in which he was at firft created, which feems 

 to have been a ilender one, he remained in his native Ethio- 

 pia, for his emigration and increafe in iigypt was merely 

 accidental. This^I apprehend, is the true caufe why the Ibis 

 is now no longer known in Egypt ; but I am Satisfied 

 to reftore him to natural hiftory, with at leaft a probable 

 conjecture, why he is now unknown in thole very regions 

 where once he was worshipped as a god. His figure appears 

 frequently upon the obelifks among the hieroglyphics, 

 and further confirms my conjecture that this is. the bird. 



The Count de Buffon.has publifhed the bird, which he 

 calls the white* Ibis of Egypt, the half of his head crim- 

 fon, with a ftrong beak of a gold colour, liker to that of a 

 toucan, and long, purple, weak legs, and a tinck neck ; in 

 ihort, having none of the. characters of the bird it is in- 

 tended to reprefent. 



The 



* Buffon, Plan, iinluna, 389. 



