5.'3 SACRED I15IS. 



appeared again in the court-yard, where he stayed all 

 day, but rejoined his companions in the evening. 



In freedom. Dr. Vierthaler observes, the Sacred Ibis 

 is very cunning, and so shy that the hunter cannot 

 creep up to it, and almost always follows it in vain. 

 It does not shew the same fear for the black man, as 

 they may be seen feeding among the cattle quite 

 regardless of the presence of the native shepherd. 



The flesh of the young- as well as the old birds is 

 savoury and tender, and when Avell prepared is a great 

 dainty. "The old Egyptians," observes Dr. Vierthaler, 

 "do not appear to have been acquainted with this fact, 

 or they would not probably have embalmed so many!" 



The plumage has been so completely described in 

 the specific diagnosis, and in my extracts from Dr. 

 Vierthaler's paper, that I need not give any particular 

 description. 



In the third part of the sixteenth volume of the 

 "Linnean Transactions," page 499, there is a paper by 

 the celebrated Joshua Brookes, F.E-.S. and L.S., upon 

 a peculiar conformation in the trachea of this bird. I 

 quote his own words; — "As there is not any unusual 

 occurrence in the upper part of the trachea, I proceed 

 to describe that within the thorax. Here a lateral 

 compression takes place, of about three inches in length 

 .and one in breadth; the part thus compressed is larger 

 and rounder at one margin than it is at the other, where 

 it is almost acute, but having a small indentation 

 inferiorly. It is formed of flattened minute rings, 

 (connected by intervening membranes,) firmly ossified 

 at their rounded edge. From the lower extremity the 

 bronchi separate; these decussate each other in a very 

 extraordinary manner, as may be seen in the specimen 

 exhibited. The membranous spaces between the rings 



