THE IBIS, 
429 
an expert way of tossing up the shell-fish, worms, &c., &c., upon 
which they feed, and catching the object in their throat as it 
falls. Their stomachs have greater strength than their bills, for 
they swallow large shells which they cannot break. The nest is 
built on high trees ; the female alone sits on her two or three eggs, 
but the male feeds her, and the young also, the last requiring 
caiealong time. Their gait is said to be uignified ; large par- 
ties often moving together in regular order. Their flight is heavy, 
but they soar high, and remain long on the wing. The first ob- 
served on our coast was shot at Great Egg Harbor, in May, 
1817; since then others have been killed from time to time, 
as far north as Boston. So much for this noted bird, worshipped 
by that “ wisdom of the Egyptians” in which Moses was instruct- 
ed, and which he rejected for that purer faith which each of us 
should bless God for luwng preserved among men, in spite of the 
weak and wavering apostasy to which our fallen race is prone. 
It is rather singular that we should have within the limits of 
this northeni province three noted objects of Egyptian adoration, 
at least in each instance we have a closely-allied species : the Ibis, 
both white and black, among their sacred birds ; the Nelumbo, 
akin to the Lotus, among their sacred plants ; and the humble, 
ball-rolling beetle, closely allied to their Scarabaeus. 
Saturday, \Qth . — Very mild, but half-cloudy day. We have 
had rather more dark skies this last week or two than is usual 
with us. The mornings have often been gray and lowering until 
eight o’clock, though we have never known candles used here 
after sunrise, even during the darkest days. 
It is a busy time with the farmers, who are killing their pork, 
which makes a great deal of work Avitliin doors also ; housekeep- 
