80 
ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 
portion of head and neck (except lower portion of the latter), legs, and feet, black ; “collar round 
lower neck bright scarlet; iris brown.” Wing, 24.50; tail, 9.50; culmen, 9.75 tarsus, 11.25; 
middle toe, 4.50. 
This species is of - accidental occurrence within the limits of the United States. 
There is but one record of its capture, and that very imperfect. It is said to have 
occurred near Galveston, Texas. The Jabiru, or American Stork, appears to have 
much in common, in its manner of life, with the Ciconiidce of the Old World. It is 
to be met with in portions of Central America and the larger portion of South 
America, but is of rare occurrence farther north. It is abundant on the seaboard 
and on the rivers of Demerara, and mention of its presence there is occasionally 
made by Mr. C. B. Brown in his “ Canoe and Camp Life in British Guiana.” He 
speaks of frequently meeting with it, in company with Ardea cocot, and of the pecu- 
liar and striking appearance it presents, with its long, stout, up-curved beak, black 
bare head, and scarlet-banded neck. When wounded and brought to bay, it will 
inflate the skin of the scarlet-colored portion of its neck like a great bladder. It 
stands fully five feet in height, and walks with a slow and stately tread. On one 
occasion he passed near one of the nests of this bird. It was on a lofty tree, and 
appeared to be a large flat platform, on the edge of . which two young Jabirus 
were standing. It was seemingly in all respects a complete counterpart of the 
familiar nest of the White Stork of Europe. An egg in the cabinet of Count Turati, 
of Milan, Italy, is of a rounded oval shape, of a uniform olive-green color, and meas- 
ures 3.33 inches by 2.20. 
Genus TANTALUS, Linn^us. 
Tantalus, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, I. 1758, 140 ; ed. 12, I. 1766, 240 (type, T. loculator, Linn.). 
Tantalides, Reichenb. Hand-b. 1851, p. xiv. Same type. (Not of Waoler, 1832 ,—Plegadis, 
Rauf. ) 
Gen. Char. Large, Stork-like birds, with long legs, neck, and beak, the latter attenuated and 
decurved terminally, much as in the true Ibises. Bill much thickened at the base, both vertically 
and laterally, much attenuated terminally, where almost abruptly, but not greatly, decurved. 
Nostrils bored directly into the bony substance of the bill, the maxilla destitute of any trace of a 
nasal groove. Legs covered with small longitudinally hexagonal scales. Toes long, very slender, 
