WOOD IBIS. 
55 
A very fine specimen of this bird was sent to me 
trom Georgia by Steplieii Elliot, Esq. of Beaufort, South 
Carolina ; its size and markings were as follow; — 
Length, three feet two inches ; bill, nearly nine in<'.hes 
straight for half its length, thence curving down- 
''ards to the extremity, and full two inches thick at the 
oa.se, lyhere it rises high in the head, the -whole of a 
*’Ovvuish horn <;olonr ; the under inaudible tits into the 
Wpper in its whole length, and both are very sharn 
^dged ; face, and naked head, and part of the neck, dull 
Kfeenish blue, wrinkled; eye, large, seated high in the 
head ; irides, dark red ; under the lower jan- is a loose 
Corrugated skin, or pouch, capable of containing about 
a pint ; whole body, neck, and lower parts, white ; 
dark glossy green and purple; tail, about two 
inches shorte'r than the wings, even at the end, and of 
^ onep and rich violet ; legs and naked thighs, dusky 
Sfeeii; feet and toes, yellowish, sprinkled with black; 
cot. almost semipalinatcd, and bordered to the claws 
^'th a narrow mcmbi’aue ; some of the greater u ing- 
coverts arc black at the root, and shafted with black ; 
plumage on the upper ridge of the neck, generally worn 
'nth rubbing on the back, while in its coniinon position, 
jesting its bill on its breast, in the manner of the 
^■hite ibis. 
The female has onlv the head and chin naked; both 
’*''0 subject to coasiderahlo changes of colour when 
youngs the body being found sometimes blackish above, 
He belly cinereous, and spots of black on the wing- 
"I'erts; all of wbicb, as the birds advance in age, 
kfadually disappear, and leave the plumage of the body, 
as has been described. 
