so 
THE WHITE IBIS. 
ward, inland as far up the Mississippi as Natchez and Red river. Returns 
to the Floridas in autumn. 
Adult Male. 
Bill very long, slender, deeper than broad, compressed, tapering, arcuate, 
obtuse at the tip. Upper mandible with the dorsal line arched in its whole 
length, the ridge convex, broader towards the end, the sides at the base 
nearly erect, towards the end very convex and narrow, the ridge separated 
in its whole length from the sides by a deep narrow groove, the edges in- 
flected and sharp. Nostrils basal, dorsal, linear, direct. Lower mandible 
nearly equal to upper, its angle very narrow, and protracted in the form 
of a groove to the tip, the sides convex, the edges sharp, but strong. 
Head small, compressed ; neck long and slender ; body slender, deeper 
than broad ; wings rather large. Feet very long, slender ; tibiae long, bare 
about half their length, and covered all round with hexagonal scales ; tarsi 
long, slender, anteriorly covered with numerous broad scutella, the rest 
with hexagonal scales ; toes slender, the first much smaller, the third 
longest, the fourth considerably shorter, the second very little shorter than 
the fourth, all covered above with numerous scutella, laterally with angu- 
lar scales, beneath flattened, with thick soft margins ; the anterior connected 
at the base by membranes, of which the outer is longer ; claws small, 
arched, compressed, obtuse, the middle one with a sharp thin edge. 
Head and throat bare to beyond the eyes, as are the tibiae nearly half way 
up. Plumage in general soft, unglossed, the feathers rather blended, those 
of the head and neck narrow and more blended. Wings long, ample, 
some of the secondaries as long as the longest primary when the wings are 
closed ; third quill longest, but second and fourth almost as long, first 
longer than fifth ; secondaries broad and rounded. Tail short, slightly 
emarginate and rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. 
Bare parts of the head light orange-red ; bill the same, but towards the 
tip dusky. Iris of a fine pearly blue. Legs and toes paler than the bill ; 
claws dusky, tipped Avith horn colour. Plumage pure white, excepting the 
ends of from three to five of the outer primaries, which are deep black, 
w ith blue and green reflexions. 
Length to end of tail 24^ inches, to end of wings 27, to end of claws 31§ ; 
extent of wings 40; wing from flexure 12^ ; tail 43; bill along the back 
along the edge 53; bare space of tibia 13, tarsus 34, middle toe 2i, its 
claw §. Weight 2 lbs. 
The adults vary considerably in size, and remarkably in the length of 
thft bill. The extent of the bare space on the head varies according to age. 
In the breeding season the bill and legs are bright carmine ; during the 
rest of the year paler. 
