41 



SCARLET IBIS. 

 TANTALUS RUBER. 

 [Plate LXVL— Fig. 2.] 



U Courli rouge du Bresil, Briss. V, p. 3M, ±2, Jig, 1, 2.— Buff. YIII, p. SB.— Bed CiMew, Cates- 

 BY, I, 84. — Lath. Ill, p. lOG.^Ard. Zool, JVo. 361.— Peace's Museiimf JVo. 3864. 



THIS beautiful bird is found in the most southern parts of 

 Carolina; also in Georgia and Florida, chiefly about the sea shore 

 and its vicinity. In most parts of America within the tropics, and 

 in almost all the West India islands it is said to be common; also 

 in the Bahamas. Of its manners little more has been collected 

 than that it frequents the borders of the sea and shores of the 

 neighbouring rivers, feeding on small fry, shell fish, sea worms 

 and small crabs. It is said frequently to perch on trees, some- 

 times in large flocks ; but to lay its eggs on the ground on a bed 

 of leaves. The eggs are described as being of a greenish color; 

 the young when hatched black, soon after grey, and before they 

 are able to fly white, continuing gradually to assume their red 

 color until the third year, when the scarlet plumage is complete. 

 It is also said that they usually keep in flocks, the young and old 

 birds separately. They have frequently been domesticated. One 

 of them which lived for some time the Museum of this city, 

 was dexterous at catching flies, and most usually walked about, on 

 that pursuit, in the position in which it is represented in the plate. 



The Scarlet Ibis measures twenty-three inches in length, and 

 thirty-seven in extent ; the bill is five inches long, thick, and some- 

 what of a square form at the base, gradually bent downwards, and 

 sharply ridged, of a black color, except near the base, where it in- 

 clines to red; irides dark hazel; the naked face is finely wrinkled, 



VOL. VIII. ^ 



