THE GLOSSY IBIS. 197 



met with in parties feeding in marshes and breeding in colonies 

 with other species. Flies in compact flocks. (F. C.R.J.) 



Breeding-habits. — Usually nests in colonies together with other 

 marsh -breeding birds. Nest. — Built low down among sallows and 

 reeds or on tamarisk bushes, of sticks and twigs or reeds. Eggs. — 

 Z-4 as a rule, occasionally 5 and rarely 6, very deep blue in colour. 

 Average size of 75 eggs, 52.1 X 36.9. Max. : 57.8 X 38 and 57.5 X 43. 

 Min. : 47x34 and 50x33.5 mm. Breeding -season. — Usually about 

 2nd week May onward. Incubation. — Period given as 21-22 days. 

 Probably single -brooded. 



Food. — Mainly fresh water mollusca (Planorbis, Ampullaria, 

 Limnma), also Mytilus, etc. ; insects and their larvae (especially 

 coleoptera, larvse of diptera, orthoptera, neuroptera and odonata). 

 Also apparently small amphibia and their larval forms, worms and 

 probably small fish. Small Crustacea (shrimps) also taken and 

 some vegetable matter. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Autumn-visitor, very rare in spring. 

 Occurs almost every autumn (Aug. -Nov.) somewhere, but most 

 frequently on south, south-west or east (as far north as Yorks.) 

 coasts of England, often in small parties. Very rare inland and 

 north of Cardigan Bay on west side and north of Yorks. on east 

 side. In Scotland some twenty-five recorded besides flock of about 

 twenty Orkneys, Sept. 1907. In Ireland over forty recorded in 

 autumn and more than half from south maritime counties. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Occasional visitor to Iceland, Faeroes, 

 Scandinavia, Denmark, and Baltic provinces, but nesting in valley 

 of Danube, in south Russia, and in west Europe only in the Camargue, 

 Andalusia, formerly Sicily, east to central Asia and India, in 

 Africa and the south-eastern United States of America. Northern 

 birds are migratory, wintering in tropical and southern Africa, and 

 tropical Asia. Casual Madeira. Replaced by a closely-allied form 

 in America from south Oregon, Arizona, Texas, and Florida to Chile 

 and Patagonia. 



Family ARDEID^E. 



The Herons. Sternum with two incisions. Holorhine. Bill 

 straight (sometimes slightly curved), with more or less distinct 

 " tooth " before tip, tip of upper mandible frequently serrated. 

 Lores bare. Nostrils narrow and longitudinal. Tarsus in front 

 with large scutes, very rarely reticulated. Short web between 

 outer and middle toes. Middle claw on inside more or less obviously 

 pectinated. Neck about the middle with " kink," caused by un- 

 equal length of vertebrse, especially great length of 6th vertebra ; 

 neck in flight, frequently also when sitting, S -shaped. On sides of 

 rump and on breast patches of powder-down, which produce a 

 greasy powder. Body small, appearing much larger through great 

 amount of soft feathers. About 100 species in all countries. 



