THE IBIS. THE CURLEW. 
m 
One bird more may be subjoined to tins genus, not for 
the oddity of its figure, but the peculiarity of its manners. 
It is vulgarly called by our sailors, the buffoon bird, and 
by the French the demoiselle, or lady. The peculiar ges- 
tures and contortions of this bird, the proper name of 
which is the Numidian Crane, are extremely singular, it 
s toops, rises, lifts one wing, then another, turns round, sails 
forwards, then back again ; all which highly diverts our 
seamen ; not imagining, perhaps, that all these contortions 
are but the awkward expression not of the poor animal’s 
pleasures, but its fears. 
It is a very scarce bird; the plumage is of a leaden grey, 
but it is distinguished by fine white feathers consisting of 
long fibres, which fall from the back of the head, about 
four inches long ; while thefore-part of the neck is adorned 
with black feathers, composed of very line, soft, and long 
fibres, that hang down upon the stomach, and give the bird 
a Ver y graceful appearance. 
The Ibis scarcely deserves the name of an European 
b'rd, since only one species is found there; viz. the Bay 
/bis, which is not larger than a curlew, or one foot nine 
tnches long. The upper parts of the body are glossy- 
green, and the lower parts are brown, with a gloss of gold 
011 the breast, it inhabits Italy, some parts of Germany, 
d U(l about the Caspian and Black Seas. 
I' be Egyptian Ibis, so famous in history and inytliolo- 
Sy? is larger than the stork, measuring from thirty to loriy 
Niches in length. The bill is seven inches long, is slightly 
curved, and ends in a blunt point. The plumage is a red- 
uish-wliiie, most inclining to red on the back and wings. It 
* s found in great numbers in Lower Egypt, in places just 
‘eed from the inundations of t lie Nile, where it is ot sig- 
Jjal service in destroying insects, reptiles, &c. This bird is 
fi'equently found in the sepulchres along with the mummies, 
and was formerly held sacred by the Egyptians. 
The Black-faccd Ibis is in length about twenty-eight 
‘nehes. The whole face quite beyond the eyes, is bare of 
fathers, black and warty, and under the chin hangs a loose, 
Wrinkled skin, forming a pouch. The head, neck and 
le ast are yellow, with a bar of ash-colour across the latter; 
y e r ®st of the body is ash-colour. It was found on New 
uar’s Island, near Staten Land. 
p^be Curlew is a well known bird, which in winter^ fre- 
f ° uls our sea-coasts and marshes, feeding chiefly on frogs 
