The Ibises. 
1 6 1 
frequent the neighbourhood of houses like the White Stork, but is entirely a bird of 
the forests. The nest is a large structure of sticks, added to year after year, and 
lined with moss, generally placed in trees, but sometimes on ledges of rocks or cliffs. 
The eggs are from three to five in number, of a dull white and coarse texture. 
They measure from two-and-a-half to two-and-three-quarter inches in length. 
The Ibises and Spoon-bills form the Sub-order Platalea, and 
differ from the Herons and Storks in the form of the nostrils. 
The Glossy Ibis is only an accidental visitor to Great Britain, 
occurring generally in autumn and winter, but sometimes in 
spring. It is a common species in Southern Europe, extending 
to Central Asia, India and China, as well as Africa and Australia, and it even occurs 
THE 
GLOSSY IBIS. 
(Plegadis 
falcinellus.) 
The Spoon-bill. 
The Glossy Ibis. 
in the Eastern United States of North America. It is very like a Heron in habits 
and gathers together in companies, feeding like a Curlew on the shores of lakes and 
rivers, where its prey consists of frogs, worms and aquatic insects. It nests in the 
company of other Herons in the marshes, and builds a slight structure of sticks and 
reeds. The eggs are three or four in number, and are easily recognised by their 
dark greenish-blue colour ; they measure about two inches in length, ora trifle more. 
This is a quite unmistakable bird on account of its flat and 
spoon-shaped bill. The colour is pure white, with a tawny tinge 
(Platalea leucerodia.) ° f buff 011 the head and neck ’ and a lar S e Crest of droo P in g 
plumes, which disappears in the winter plumage. The Spoon- 
bill used to breed in several places in England, but is now only an occasional visitor. 
THE 
SPOON-BILL. 
