THE WHITE IBIS. 57 
itself in any manner, although, if only winged, it runs off with more speed 
than is pleasant to its pursuer. 
At other times the White Ibis, like the Red and the Wood Ibises, rises 
to an immense height in the air, where it performs beautiful evolutions. 
After they have thus, as it were, amused themselves for some time, they 
glide down with astonishing speed, and alight either on trees or on the 
ground. Should the sun be shining, they appear in their full beauty, and 
the glossy black tip^of their wings form a fine contrast with the yellowish- 
white of the rest of their plumage. 
This species is as fond of resorting to the ponds, bayous, or lakes that are 
met with in the woods, as the Wood Ibis itself. I have found it breeding 
there at a distance of more than three hundred miles from the sea, and 
remaining in the midst of the thickest forests until driven off to warmer 
latitudes by the approach of winter. This is the case in the*State of Mis- 
sissippi, not far from Natchez, and in all the swampy forests around Bayou 
Sara and Pointe Coupe, as well as the interior of the Floridas. W T hen 
disturbed in such places, these Ibises fly at once to the tops of the tallest 
trees, emitting their hoarse hunk, and watch your motions with so much 
care that it is extremely difficult to get within shot of them. 
The manner in which this bird searches for its food is very curious. The 
Woodcock and the Snipe, it is true, are probers as well as it, but their task 
requires less ingenuity than is exercised by the White or the Red Ibis. It 
is also true that the White Ibis frequently seizes on small crabs, slugs and 
snails, and even at times on flying insects ; but its usual mode of procuring 
food is a strong proof that cunning enters as a principal ingredient in its 
instinct. The cray-fish often burrows to the depth of three or four feet in 
dry weather, for before it can be comfortable it must reach the water. This 
is generally the case during the prolonged heats of summer, at which time 
the White Ibis is most pushed for food. The bird, to procure the era y-fish 
walks with remarkable care towards the mounds of mud which the latter 
throws up while forming its hole, and breaks up the upper part of the 
fabric, dropping the fragments into the deep cavity that has beeu made 
by the animal. Then the Ibis retires a single step, and patiently waits the 
result. The cray-fish, incommoded by the load of earth, instantly sets to 
work anew, and at last reaches the entrance of its burrow ; but the moment 
it comes in sight, the Ibis seizes it with his bill. 
Whilst at Indian Key, I observed an immense quantity of beautiful tree 
snails, of a pyramidal or shortly conical form, some pure white, others 
curiously marked with spiral lines of bright red, yellow, and black. They 
were crawling vigorously on every branch of each bush w T here there was 
not a nest of the White Ibis ; but wherever that bird had fixed its habitation, 
Vol. YI. 8 
