92 
ALTRICIAL GrRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 
silent. Their flight is described as being rapid and protracted ; the advance being 
made by alternate flapping and sailing. In these movements the flock imitate the 
leader, each individual following with perfect regularity the motions of the one pre- 
ceding it. If at this time one is shot, the whole line is broken up, and for a few 
minutes all is disorder ; but soon the former arrangement is resumed, and the flock 
goes on as before. 
A wounded Ibis, if only winged, runs off with great speed ; but it never attempts 
to bite or otherwise to defend itself. At other times than the breeding season this 
bird will perform wonderful evolutions, in the course of which it sometimes rises to 
a great height in the air. After thus apparently amusing itself for a while, it will 
suddenly glide down with astonishing speed. It is apparently as fond as the Wood 
Ibis of resorting to ponds or bayous that are in the woods ; and Mr. Audubon has 
found it breeding in such situations more than three hundred miles from the sea. 
This was the case in the State of Mississippi, not far from Natchez, and in the 
swampy forests around Bayou Sara and Pointe Coupee. When disturbed in these 
places it flies to the tops of the tallest trees, uttering a hoarse cry, and is usually 
very shy and difficult of approach. When a wounded Ibis falls into the water, it 
can swim quite well ; but it is unusual for it to do this voluntarily, even to avoid 
pursuit. Audubon witnessed the escape of one by swimming when chased by an 
alligator. The bird had fallen broken-winged into the water, and sought protection 
by hastening to his feet. He kept.it alive for some time, feeding it with soaked 
Indian meal and an occasional crayfish, which latter it received with evident pleas- 
ure. On seizing one, the bird beat it sideways on the ground until its claws and 
legs were broken off, after which the body was swallowed whole. This bird was 
very fond of lying on its side in the sun and nursing its sore wing. It walked 
lightly and very gracefully, and became very gentle and tame, following, like a com- 
mon fowl, those who fed it. 
Mr. Lawrence considers this bird as a rare species near New York; Mr. Edward 
Harris procured it on the Delaware, near Philadelphia ; and Mr. Turnbull shot one 
at Great Egg Harbor, New Jersey, in the summer of 1858. It is rare so far north. 
Dr. Bryant found it very numerous at Indian Liver, Florida. Specimens shot April 
20 were still in the spring moult. Mr. Turnbull saw a large flock of these birds on 
the St. John’s, near Volusia, but none at Enterprise. 
The eggs are of an oblong-oval shape, a little larger and more obtuse at one end, 
and vary chiefly in size, ranging in length from 2.20 to 2.45 inches, and in breadth 
from 1.55 to 1.60 inches. Their ground color is a dull clayey white with a greenish 
tinge, over which are distributed spots, blotches, and longitudinal markings of various 
shades of reddish brown. In some cases these are few, and scattered over most of 
the egg, but increasing in size or confluent towards the larger end. In others, these 
markings are distributed in large and more or less confluent patches over nearly the 
entire surface. In some eggs the greenish tinge of the ground is much more appar- 
ent than in others, but it is always more or less noticeable. 
Genus PLEGADIS, Kaup. 
“ Falcinellus, Bechst.” Auct. (nee Bechstein 1 ). 
Plegadis, Kaitp, Skizz. Entw. Geseh. 1829, 82 (type, Tantalus falcinellus, Linn.). 
Tantalidcs, Wage. Isis, 1832, 1231 (type, Tantalus falcinellus, Linn.). 
1 Cf. Salv. & Scl. Ibis, Jan. 1878, p. 112. 
