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The Canadian forms of the order are divided into two suborders: 
Ibides including Spoonbills and Ibises; and Herodii including Herons, 
Egrets, and Bitterns. 
SUBORDER— IBIDES. IBISES 
This suborder includes two families: Spoonbills, which do not occur 
in Canada, and Ibididae, only one of which occurs in western Canada, and 
that rarely. 
FAMILY — IBIDIDAE. IBISES 
General Description. Birds with long, decurved bill quite blunt at the point and the 
upper mandible grooved throughout its length. Space in front of the eye bare. 
Distinctions . Curved, blunt, and deeply grooved bill is characteristic. Claw of 
the middle toe may be broadened and roughened at the edge, but is not perfectly pectinate 
or furnished with well-formed comb-like teeth as in the heron-like Waders of the suborder 
Herodii (compare with Figure 20, page 26). 
There is only one of these birds, the White-faced Glossy Ibis, that is 
likely to be found in western Canada, and that as a casual straggler. 
187. White-faced Glossy Ibis. Plegadis guarauna. L, 23. Adult: a dark chestnut 
bird with green and bronze reflections on back and wings. A long, decurved bill grooved 
along the upper mandible; a bare spot in front of eyes, coloured a dull red bordered with a 
band of white feathers. Legs reddish. Juvenile: dull greyish-brown with green and steel 
blue reflections above; head and upper neck narrowly streaked with white. 
Distinctions. A large curlew-like bird with face bare in front of eyes. 
Field Marks. A large curlew-like, or small heron-like, bird with decurved bill. 
Bright chestnut coloration with iridescence or appearing solid black; flight rapid and 
somewhat duck-like, but the neck carried outstretched. 
Nesting. In reedy swamps or low bushes. 
Distribution. Temperate and tropical America. On the west coast of South America 
to southern Oregon. Only two records in Canada, both from the southern coast of 
British Columbia. 
SUBORDER— HERODII. HERON-LIKE WADERS. 
As this suborder is represented in Canada by only one family, Ardeidae, 
the description under that heading is sufficient. 
FAMILY — ARDEIDAE. HERONS AND BITTERNS 
General Description. Heron-like birds with straight and very sharply pointed bills. 
Forehead feathered, but space in front of eyes bare. A peculiar feature with this suborder 
is the occurrence of “powder-down tracts” — aggregations of peculiarly modified feathers 
giving off a dry powder of unknown use. These feathers are found on various parts of the 
body hidden under the visible plumage. Claw of the middle toe is pectinate, that is fur- 
nished with a series of well-defined comb-like teeth (Figure 20, page 26), not merely rough- 
nesses as in the Ibises. 
Distinctions. This suborder might be mistaken for Cranes, but the feathered fore- 
head is distinctive. Back of neck bare, the feathers of sides reaching around and behind 
and hiding the bareness from casual observation. Hind toe very long, set level with the 
other toes, and not slightly raised as in other Waders. 
Field Marks. Obvious heron-like outlinej with long graceful neck, long sharp bill 
(Figure 19, page 26), and lengthened legs (Figure 18, page 26). Neck folded in flight, 
bringing head close to shoulders, the legs trailing behind. The Cranes, with which they 
may be confused in life, carry their necks outstretched when flying. 
Perhaps no birds are so well known to the general public by common 
repute and observation as these, yet we seldom hear them correctly named. 
The terms Herons, Storks, and Cranes, are applied and misapplied indis- 
91054 — 8J 
