sae 
36 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
Genus 464. TANTALUS. 
Pie > BTS. 
‘The bill i is long, flender, except at the bafe, where i bi 
‘te, and a little bowed or bending. 
The face is nuked beyond the eyes. ‘ 
The tongue is fhort and wide. 
The crop is naked. a 
The noflrils are oval. 
The toes four, conneéted or joined at the bafe by, 
membrane. 
GYPT is a flateand moitt country, and 
frequently overflown by the river Nile. Jy 
the mud which is left behind, multitudes of frogs, 
znd toads, and numerous reptiles, fuch as ferpents, 
are bred. ‘The Ibis feems to be as fond of de 
{troying them, as of making them his prey ; for 
- after he has fatisfied his hunger, he ftil] continues 
to deftroy them. Day and night he walks back 
wards and forwards watching thefe reptiles, {care 
ing for their eggs, and killing, as he paffes alo 
bectles and grafshoppers. 
It is not to be wondered at that the Egypti 
fhould fhew a particular fondnefs for a bird, 
very ufeful. It was a crime to kill the Ibis’ 
Egypt, and punifhed with death. 
— -. <a 

