BIKDS — TANTALIDAE — IBIS OEDIL 685 
IBIS ORDII, Bo nap. 
Glossy Ibis. 
?? Tantalus mexicanus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, G52. 
Tantalus mexicanus, Ord, J. A. N. Sc. I, 1817, 53. 
Ibisfalcinellus, Bonap. Obs. 1825, No. 199.— Ib. Syn. 312.— Ie. Am. Oru. IV, 1831,23 ; pl.x'xiii — Nuttall, Man. II, 
1834, 88.— Aud. Orn. Riog. IV, 1838, 608 ; pi. 387.— In. Syn. 257— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 50 ; 
pi. 358. 
Ibis ordii, Bonap. List, 1838. 
Falcinellus ordii, Bonap. Consp. II, 1855, 159. 
? Ibis guarauna, Woodhouse, Sitgreaves' Exp. 1853, 98. 
Sp. Ch. — Forehead feathered almost to the bill. Color chestnut ; the top of head and back metallic green, glossed with 
purple. Bill dusky; the naked skin at base slate blue. Length, 20.50 inches; wing, 10 ; tarsus, 3.30; bill above, 4.30. 
Hab. — Found singly and at intervals over the whole United States. 
General color, including the lesser wing coverts, opaque purplish orange chestnut brown. 
Top of head and nape, both sides of wing, (except the lesser coverts,) and the tail, metallic 
green, glossed variously with purple ; the interscapular region and anterior scapulars purple 
chestnut. The opaque feathers of the neck and head edged obscurely with dusky ; the bare 
skin of the head all round bordered by whitish. The bill is dusky in the skin ; in life it is said 
to be blackish ; the bare skin at the base slate blue. The feet grayish black. 
Young specimens are similar, except that the head and neck are of an opaque dull greyish 
brown, the feathers more or less edged narrowly with whitish. 
The synonomy of this species is in very great confusion, and it is difficult to say what name it 
should bear. Admitting it to be distinct from the European Ibis falcinellus, the earliest name for an 
American bird is Tantalus guaruana, of Linnaeus, which, however, is considered by Bonaparte 
to be distinct, and confined to South America. The T. mexicanus of Gmelin, referred to the 
same species by Bonaparte^ seems to have as much claim to identity with the North American 
as with the more southern bird. The T. chalcopterus of Temminck belongs to the South 
American species. Setting aside T. mexicanus of Gmelin as too uncertain for the present case, 
the next name in order is the orcli of Bonaparte. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by — 
Length. 
Stretch 
ofwings. 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
4142 
5117 
9506 
9504 
9505 
8009 
9 
Cadereita, Mex .... 
April — , 1853 
Sept. 29, 1855 
24.00 
26.00 
34.00 
33.50 
30.00 
10.25 
11.00 
10.50 
Eyes crimson, bill slate. 
Byes brown, bill black, 
gums reddish yellow, 
feet dark gray. 
Ojo del Cuerpo, N. M .. 
Fronlera,RioGrande,Tex 
Santa Cruza, Sonoia... 
Capt. Pope 
139 
9 
C. Wright 
June — , 1855 
71 
Mar. 28, 1854 
Sept. — , 1830 
Lieut. Whipple . . 
190 
Kenn. and Moll.. 
22.00 
30.00 
10.00 
