BLACK IBIS. 
11 
and to worship them, and after their death embalmed 
them ; their mummies are found to this day in num- 
bers, in the vast catacombs of ancient Memphis. 
There are various opinions respecting the origin of 
this custom : according to some, it arose from the 
birds destroying the serpents, which otherwise would 
increase, and become dangerous to the country : others 
assert, that there was an affinity between the changes 
of its plumage and some of the phases of the moon ! 
And others, because its appearance announces the in- 
crease of the Nile. It inhabits Egypt and ^Ethiopia. 
BLACK IBIS. 
(Ibis nigra.) 
Ib. nigra, capitc anteriore nudo rubro, rectricibiis nigris, rostro 
pedibusque riibris. 
Black Ibis, with the head in front naked and red, the tail-feathers 
black, the beak and legs red. 
Tantalus niger. Gmel. Siyst. Nat. 1. 650. Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 
707. 
Ibis nigra. Phil. Trans. Ivii. 345. 
Ibis. Briss. On?. 5. 347. Raii. Syn. 98. Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. 
8. 17. 
Black Ibis. PVill. Angl. 288. Lath. Gen. Syn. 5. 112. 
A VERY doubtful species; said to be rather less than 
the Curlew : the beak red ; the naked space on the 
fore part of the head and behind the eyes also red : 
the plumage entirely black : the legs red. 
Inhabits Egypt, and most probably a young bird. 
