The Madagascar Open-bidl. BIRDS. ^ — The Sacred Ibis. 415 
THE MADAGASCAR OPEN-BILL {Anastomus lamelU- 
gerus — Plate 26, fig. 99— is also a species of the group 
of Storks, but is distinguished from all the preceding 
forms by the curious conformation of its bill. This 
organ is long and stout, as in the other Storks, and the 
mandibles are in apposition for the basal half of their 
length ; but from this point to near the tip they are 
separated by a small Interval, the tips again coming in 
contact. The edges of the open part of the bill are 
furnished with numerous lamellae, or little plates. This 
bird, which is found in Southern Africa and Mada- 
gascar, is about the size of the common Stork, which it 
resembles in its habits. Another species {A. osdtans) 
inhabits the continent of India. 
THE TUFTED UMBRE {Scopus umhretta) — Plate 26, 
fig. 100. This remarkable species, which is an inhabit- 
ant of Africa, is about the size of a crow, and of a brown 
colour; the male has the back of the head adorned 
with a large crest. The bill is much compressed, and 
its upper mandible is furrowed along the sides and 
terminated by a curved or slightly hooked tip. 
THE BALAINICEPS {Balceniceps rex). This singular 
bird, which is an inhabitant of Nubia and the banks of 
the White Nile, was described about ten years ago by 
Mr. Gould, who regarded it as in some respects allied 
to the Pelicans. It was placed by Mr. Gray amongst 
the Herons and in the neighbourhood of the Boatbill, 
with which curious bird it has some analogy in the 
form of its bill; but Professor Reinhardt of Copenhagen, 
in a paper recently published, contends, and apparently 
with good reason, that the Balaeniceps is most nearly 
allied to the Umbre, also an African bird, with which 
it wo.uld form a small subordinate group, standing in 
the immediate vicinity of the Storks. The Balasniceps 
is a large and powerful bird, measuring about four 
feet and a half in length ; its head is large and bears 
a broad, somewhat depressed bill, of which the upper 
mandible is spoon-shaped, but terminated by a strong 
hook. It stands upon a pair of long slender legs, of 
which the naked reticulated part extends for a con- 
siderable distance above the tarsal joints. 
THE SACRED IBIS {Geronticus athiopicus) — fig. 129. 
The group of birds to which the common name of Ibis 
is given, is distinguished from the other forms of the 
present family by the slender and elongated form of 
the bill, which is obtuse at the tip and gently curved 
downwards. The Sacred Ibis, which is an inhabitant 
of many parts of Africa, was regarded with great 
Fig. 129. 
The Sacred Ibis (Geronticus setliiopicus). 
veneration by tbe ancient Egyptians, who kept many 
of these birds in the courts of their temples, and fre- 
quently embalmed their bodies after death. The Ibis 
is also constantly to be found represented on the sculp- 
tured monuments of Egypt. It is about the size of a 
large fowl, and its plumage is white, with the exception 
of the tips of the wings, which are black ; the head 
and greater part of the neck are nearly naked and 
black, and the bill and feet are black. 
THE MILKY IBIS {Tantalus lacteus)—V\Ae 26, fig. 
101 — belongs to a genus in which the bill is stouter 
than in that including the Sacred Ibis, but in which 
the head and part of the neck are still bare of feathers. 
This bird is an inhabitant of Java. 
THE AFRICAN TANTALUS {Tantalus Ibis), which 
was long supposed to be the Sacred Ibis of the Egyp- 
tians, is found chiefly in the tropical parts of Africa, 
especially on the western coast. It resembles the last 
species, but has the naked skin of the face red. 
THE SCARLET IBIS {Ibis rubra) is a beautiful 
species of a bright scarlet coloui', with the tip of the 
wings black, which inhabits the marshes bordering the 
great rivers of South America, and is described as 
one of the chief ornaments of those regions. It has 
only a small portion of the head naked. 
THE GLOSSY IBIS {Ibis falcinellus), which is nearly 
allied to the last species, appears to be distributed over 
nearly all parts of the known world. It is occasionally 
seen in this countr^q and even finds its way as far 
north as Sweden. In ancient Egypt this bird shared 
