AN AUSTRALIAN BIRD BOOK. 
53 
F. 45. Rhinochetidae, Kagu, 1 sp. A. (N.Cal.). 
F. 46. Mesoenatidae, 1 sp. E. (Madagascar). 
F. 47. Eurypygidac, Sun-bitterns, 2 sp. NT. 
F. 48. Psophiidae, Trumpeters, 7 sp. Nl. 
F. 49. Cariamidae, Seriema, Saria, 2 sp. Nl. 
ORDER XII.— ARDEIFORMES. 
F. 50. IBIDIDAE (3), IBISES, 27 sp.— 4(2)A., 6(2)0., 
3(0)P., 10(8)E., 4(0)Nc., 11(7)N1. 
1 112 Australian White Ibis (Black - necked) , Sickle- Bill, 
5 This violucca, Mol., N.G., A. =vt. Sacred Ibis of 
Egypt. Nom. flocks, r. lagoons 30 
White; bead, upper-neck bare black; back of head and 
neck barred rose-pink; black bill arched; f., smaller. 
Insects. 
1 113 Straw-necked Ibis, Dry weather (Letter) Bird, Far- 
1 mer's Friend, Carphihis spinicollis, A. T. 
Nom. flocks, c. grassy 
"This beautiful ibis;" head, fore-neck naked black; black 
bill arched; pointed, straw-colored plumes on neck; 
breast, upper greenish-purple barred black; abdomen, 
flanks, tail white; f., smaller. Insects. ^h^^ 
1 114 Glossy Ibis, Black Curlew (e), Plegadis falcinellus, 
3 A., T., N.Z., almost cos. exc. S. Am., Arctic, and Pac. 
Is. Nom. flocks, v.r. swampy 25 
Head, neck, breast, back, under rich reddish-chestnut; 
lower-back, tail dark bronze-green; winter; head, neck 
streaked white; f., sim. Insects, worms. 
F. 51. PLATALEIDAE (2), SPOONBILLS, 6 sp.— 2(2)A., 
2(0)0., 2(0)P., 2(1)E., l(0)Nc., 1(0)N1. 
1 115 Black-billed Spoonbill (Royal), Platalea regia, A., 
4 N.Z. Nom. r. marshy 29 
White; bill, legs, feet black; f., sim. Shellfish, frogs. 
parties," "corroborees," and dances. They live chiefly on vermin 
— insects, lizards, &c. The great Gould said: "Its presence adds 
greatly to the interest of the scenery." Would that more Aus- 
tralians thought so! 
Cranes are amongst the best of flyers. They are said to fly 
sometimes at a height of from three and a half to five miles, and 
have been seen to cross lofty mountains in Central Asia without 
increasing their altitude. Perhaps because of its inappropriate 
name — Native Companion — some have proposed to regard this 
bird as the typical Australian bird, but it is not so. In fact, it 
is our one representative of an almost world-wide group. 
In Order XII. Australia has representatives of the Ibises, 
Spoonbills, Storks, Herons, Egrets, Night Herons, and Bitterns, so 
well known in every part of the world. 
Amongst the world's birds, few are better known than the Ibis. 
This bird was so highly prized by the ancient Egyptians as to be 
considered sacred, and they thought enough of it to embalm it. 
As Egypt depended on the overflow of the Nile for food supply, 
