SCARLET IBIS. 
Tantalus ruber. 
Le courty rouge du Brasil. 
Lin . Sj'st. i. p. 24 1. No. 5. 
Bris. Orn . v. p. 3 4 4. 12. 
Scarlet Ibis. 
Buff \ Ois> viii. p. 35. 
Zool.ii. p . 161 . 
Lath. iii. p. I o 6 • 
This very beautiful bird is somewhat larger than the English Curle>y, 
and is met with in most parts of America, within the torrid zone, but very 
seldom beyond the northern tropic. 
It has a slender incurvated bill, in length between six and seven inches, 
of a pale red colour; and the whole plumage is of the richest and most 
glowing scarlet imaginable, except four of the outer prime quills, which are 
of a glossy black at the ends; the shafts of the quills and tail are white ; 
the legs pale red. 
These birds generally frequent the low marshy grounds contiguous to the 
sea, and the sides of great rivers ; and in the state of nature live on the 
small fry of fish, or shell-fish, and on the insects which they find when the 
sea retires from the shore. 
They are easily domesticated, so as to be completely attached to the 
poultry yard, in which state they soon become familiar, and will feed from 
the hand. 
I hey shew great courage in attacking the fowls, soon become masters of 
the menagery, and will even oppose themselves to cats. They frequently 
pen h on the trees in great numbers, but lay their eggs on the ground; the 
young, when first hatched^ are of a dusky colour; they then grow grey, 
and afterwards white ; but it is not until the third year that the brilliant 
scarlet becomes complete. The flesh is excellent. 
