648 
SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — HEBODIONES— IBIDES. 
The group here noted corresponds to the Pelargomorphoe of Huxley, the Ciconiiformes of 
Garrod (minus Cathariiclce !), the Grallatores altinares of Sundevall, and includes the Her odios, 
Pelargij and Hemiglottides of Nitzsch, — respectively the Heron series, the Stork series, and the 
series of Ibises and Spoonbills. The first of these differs more from the others than these do 
from one another. As usual, there are certain outlying genera, types of families or subfamilies, 
the position of which is not assured. But appearances are that the questionable forms will 
fall in one or another of the three series mdicated. All of these series, to be conventionally 
rated as suborders or superfamilies, are represented in North America, where also all the large 
and leading families occur. 
12. Suborder IBIDES : The Ibis Series. 
Skull schizorhinal. Angle of mandible produced and recurved. Ambiens muscle, femoro- 
caudal and accessory, semitendinosus and accessory, and post- acetabular portion of tensor fasciae, 
present ; pectoralis major simple ; biceps cubiti connected with tensor patagii longus. Sternum 
double -notched on each side. Carotids double, normal. Two intestinal coeca. Tongue ex- 
tremely small. A tufted oil-gland. Plumage without powder-down ; feathered tracts broad. 
Tarsi reticulate (rarely scutellate). Hallux not fairly insistent. Claws resting upon a horny 
shoe." Inner edge of middle claw not, or not fairly, pectinate. Side of upper mandible with 
a deep narrow groove for its whole length ; bill otherwise very diflereutly shaped in the two 
families, Ibididce and PlatcdeidcB, of which this series consists. 
43. Family IBIDID^ : Ibises. 
Bill very long and slender, compressed-cylindric, curved throughout, deeply grooved 
nearly or quite to tip, which is rather obtuse, not notched ; end of culmen rather broad and 
depressed, in the rest of its extent the culmen narrow and rounded ; interramal space narrow, 
acute, produced nearly to tip of bill. (Whole bill thus closely resembling a Curlew's ; one of 
our species is frequently called Spanish CurleM^") Legs rather short (for Herodiones). 
Claws compressed, acute } the middle may be dilated and jagged, but is not fairly pectinate. 
Hallux sub-insistent. Tarsi reticulate, or scutellate in front only. Anterior toes more or less 
w^ebbed at base. Pterylosis more or less completely stork-like, lacking the powder-down 
tracts of Herons ; head more or less extensively denuded. Birds of medium and large size 
(among Herodiones), long-legged, long-necked and small-bodied, with ample more or less 
rounded wings, of which the inner quills are very large; tail very short, usually if not always 
of 12 broad rectrices. Chiefly lacustrine and palustrine inhabitants of the warmer parts <.)f the 
globe, feeding on fish, reptiles, and other animals. The sexes are alike ; the young difterent. 
There are about 24 species of Ibises, among which the minor details of form vary considerably, 
nearly every one of them having been made type of some genus, according to shape of bill, 
character of head-feathering, condition of tarsal envelope, etc. The two leading modifications 
are, tarsus entirely reticulate, and tarsus scutellate in front ; our genera illustrate the latter. 
Obs. Our Wood ^' Ibis," so called, is a Stork. See beyond, p. 652. 
Analysis of Genera and Species. 
Head bare on sides and beneath. Claws scarcely curved. Colors dark, metallic, greenish and chestnut. 
Plegadis 252 
Face without white feathers in adult falcineUus 649 
Face surrounded by white feathers in adult guarauna 650 
Head extensively bare on front, sides, and beneath. Claws curved. Colors light, dull, red or white. 
EUDOCIMUS 253 
Adults white alius 651 
