SCARLET IBIS. 
31T 
■whole length, and both are very sharp edged; face and naked head and 
part of the neck dull greenish blue, wrinkled ; eye large, seated high in 
the head ; irides dark red ; under the lower jaw is a loose corrugated 
skin, or pouch, capable of containing about half a pint ; whole body, 
neck and lower parts white ; quills dark glossy green and purple ; tail 
about two inches shorter than the wings, even at the end, and of a deep 
and rich violet ; legs and naked thighs dusky green ; feet and toes 
yellowish sprinkled with black ; feet almost semipalmated and bordered 
to the claws with a narrow membrane; some of the greater wing coverts 
are black at the root, and shafted with black ; plumage on the upper 
ridge of the neck generally worn, as in the present specimen, with 
rubbing on the back, while in its common position of resting its bill on 
its breast, in the manner of the White Ibis (see fig. 3). 
The female has only the head and chin naked ; both are subject to 
considerable changes of color when young ; the body being found some- 
times blackish above, the belly cinereous, and spots of black on the wing 
coverts ; all of which, as the birds advance in age, gradually disappear, 
and leave the plumage of the body, &c, as has been described. 
Species II. TANTALUS RUBER. 
SCARLET IBIS. 
[Plate LXVI. Fig. 2.] 
Le Courli rouge du Br&sil, Briss. v., p. 344, 12, fig. 1, 2. — Buff, mi., p. 35. — Red 
Curlew, Catesby, i., 84. — Lath, hi., p. 106.— Arct. Zool. No. 361.* 
This beautiful bird is found in the most southern parts of Carolina ; 
also in Georgia and Florida, chiefly about the seashore 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 neighboring rivers, feeding on small fry, 
shell fish, sea worms and small crabs. It is said frequently to perch on 
trees, sometimes 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 ; 
* We add the following synonymes : — Tantalus Ruber, Lath. Ltd. Orn. p. 703, 
No. 2.—T. fuscus, Id. p. 705, No. 8.— Gmel. Si/st. i., p. 651, No. 5, No. l.—Le 
Courbj brim du Bresil, Briss. v., p. 341. — Broxen Curlew, Catesby, i. 83, young. — 
Courli/ rouge du Bresil, de Page de deux ans, PL Enl. 80. — Id. de Page de trois ane, 
81. 
