41 
SCARLET IBIS. 
IBIS RUBER. 
\ [Plate LXVL— Fig. 2.] 
Lath, III, p* 106 ; Brown Ibisy Id. p. 110, No. 8, — Tantalus rubeVy Ind. Orn. p. 703, No. 2 ; 
T. fuscusy Id. p. 705, No, 8. — Gmel. Syst. /, p. 651, No. 5, No. 7. — Lc Courly rouge du 
BrSsily Briss. V, p. 344, pi. 29, Jig. 1, 2; Le Courly brun du Bresily Id. p. 341. — Buff. 
VIII, p. 35, 42. — Red CurleWy Catesby, I, 84; Brown Curlew^ Id. 83, young. — Arct, 
Zool. No. 361, 362. — Courly rouge du Brcsily de Page de deuxansy PL Enl. 80 ; Id. dcPage 
de trois ansy 81. — Peale’s Museuniy No. 3864 ; femalcy 3865. 
THIS beautiful bird is found in the most southern parts of 
Carolina ; also in Georgia and Florida, chiefly about the seashore 
and its vicinity. In most parts of America within the tropics, and 
in almost all the West India Islands, it is said to be common ; also 
in the Bahamas. Of its manners little more has been collected 
than that it frequents the borders of the sea, and shores of the 
neighboring rivers, feeding on small fry, shell-fish, sea worms and 
small crabs. It is said frequently to perch on trees, sometimes in 
large flocks ; but to lay its eggs on the ground, on a bed of leaves. 
The eggs are described as being of a greenish color ; the young 
when hatched black, soon after gray, and before they arc able to fly 
white, continuing gradually to assume their red color until the third 
year, when the scarlet plumage is complete. It is also said that 
they usually keep in flocks, the young and old birds separately. 
They have frequently been domesticated. One of them which 
lived for some time in the Museum of this city, was dexterous at 
catching flies, and most usually walked about, on that pursuit, in 
the position in which it is represented in the plate. 
The Scarlet Ibis measures twenty-three inches in length, and 
thirty-seven in extent ; the bill is five inches long, thick, and some- 
what of a square form at the base, gradually bent downwards, and 
VOL. VIII. I-* 
B. M ErmUART, 
West ('hp.stey Pa., 
AO*.*- 
Not to bo Uxuied on my Conditf < 
