IBIDIDiE — THE IBISES — PLEGADIS. 
95 
primary-coverts, primaries, and lower secondaries brighter bronze-green ; upper secondaries more 
bronzy, with a purple shade in certain lights. Under-surface of wings and tail more burnished, 
metallic green, bronze, and purple, the tint varying with the inclination to the lights ; axillars less 
shining, and more violaceous ; crissum violet-purple and green, like the rump. Bill black ; bare 
loral space greenish ; legs and feet greenish blackish. 1 
Young (changing from first to second plumage): Head and neck distinctly streaked with dusky 
brown and white, the dusky streaks wider and more blackish on the pileum, the whitish streaks 
gradually becoming more indistinct below. Entire lower parts plain snuff-brown, with a soft 
purplish tinge, especially on the breast and tibiae ; crissum, metallic green and violet. Upper parts 
dark, metallic violet-purple, green, and bronze, the first largely predominating, the last in traces ; 
the back darkest and most uniform, the rump interspersed with bright dark-green feathers. A 
few dark chestnut feathers interspersed over the anterior portion of the lesser wing-covert region 
(No. 57003, Greece). Young (changing from second to third plumage) : In general appearance 
much like the preceding, but breast, abdomen, and tibiae mostly reddish chestnut, and the anterior 
portion of the back and scapulars mixed with many feathers of the same color ; head and neck 
much tinged with chestnut, the streaks indistinct (No. 17493, 9 > Hungary). 
[Note. — The Tantalus viridis of Gmelin (Syst. Nat. II. I. p. 648, no. 8, based on Green Ibis 
of Latham, Synopsis, III. i. p. 114, no. 13) seems to be this species in incomplete first plumage, 
or still retaining the downy covering of the head and neck.] 
Lengthy about 25 inches; expanse, 42; wing, 10.20-11.85 ; tail, 4.30-4.50; culmen, 4.30-5.45; 
depth of bill, .50-60 ; tarsus, 2.90-4.30 ; middle toe, 2.10-2.80 ; bare portion of tibia, 1.70-3.10. 
Of this species, there are at present before us four adult specimens, two being from Europe and 
two from America (Tortugas and Jamaica) ; between these there is not the slightest difference 
whatever, beyond the individual discrepancies of size observable in all species of this family. 
The young of P. fulcinellus closely resembles that of P. guarauna, but is rather darker colored, 
the upper parts being much more violaceous, and the lower parts less grayish. There are two 
specimens in the collection, — those described above. 
This species, identical with the well-known Bay or Glossy Ibis of Europe, occurs 
irregularly in the eastern, portion of the United States, and has been known to breed 
in Florida. It has been found on several occasions as far north as Massachusetts, 
although nowhere abundant in the States bordering upon the Atlantic. It was first 
described as a bird of North America by Mr. George Orel, from a specimen obtained 
at Great Egg Harbor, May 7, 1817. About the same time another specimen was pro- 
cured near Baltimore, and two others were taken in the District of Columbia. Mr. 
Audubon states that in the spring of 1837 he saw flocks of this bird in Texas ; but 
it is possible that the birds which he saw there were not of this species. They were 
apparently only summer residents, associating with the White Ibis, along the grassy 
margins of the rivers and bayous, going to and returning from their roosting-places in 
the country. Its flight resembles that of its companion, the White Ibis. 
1 Audubon says : “ Bill black ; bare part of bead grayish blue ; iris hazel ; feet grayish black, claws 
brown.” 
