WOOD IBIS. 495 
The markings, always large, numerous and bold, are of different depths of dark choco- 
late, bistre, and sepia brown, with the ordinary stone-gray shell spots. They always 
tend to aggregate at the larger end, oz, at least, are more more numerous on the 
major half of the eggs; though in a few instances the distribution is nearly uniform 
Occasionally the butt end of the egg is almost completely occupied by confluence of very 
dark markings Eggs vary from 1.90 by 1.40 to 2.12 by 1.33, averaging about 2.00 
by 1.45.” 
ORDER HERODIONES. HERONS AND THEIR 
| ALLIES. 
FAMILY TANTALIDA. IBISES, ETC. 
Hallux somewhat reduced, less perfectly incumbent than in Ardeide. Tarsi commoniy 
reticulate. Middle claw not pectinate. Lores, gular space and usually more of the 
head, naked. Bill variously curved or with expanded tip. 
Sub-family Tanratina. Wood Ibises. 
Bill extremely stout at base, where as wide as the face, gradually tapering to the 
decurved lip. ‘Tarsus reticulate. 
Genus TANTALUS. Linnzeus, 
With characters of its sub-family. 
TANTALUS LOCULATOR L. 
Wood Ibis- 
Tantalus loculator, WHraTtON, Reprint, Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1861, 21, (probable).—-Covuzs, 
Key, 1872, 263; Birds of N. W., 1874, 513.—LaNnGpon, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1277, 15; 
Revised List, Journ. Cin. Soc. Nat Hist, i, 1879, 183; Reprint, 17.—JoRDAN, Man. 
Vert., 18728, 131. 
Tantalus loculator, LinNZUS, Syst. Nat., i, 1766, 240. 
Adult with the head and part of the neck naked, corrugate, bluish; legs blue; bill 
pale greenish; plumage entirely white excepting the quills, tail, primary coverts and 
alula which are glossy black: young with the head downy- feathered, the plumage 
dark-gray, the quills and tail blackish; Jeugth, about 4 feet; wing, 18-20 inches ; 
bill, 8-9; tarsus, 7-3. 
Habitat, South Atlantic and Gulf States, and across in corresponding latitudes to the 
Colorado River. North to Ohio, Illinois, andthe Carolinas. Accidentally to Wisconsin, 
Pennsylvania, and New York. Cuba. Mexico. Central and South America. 
Rare visitor in spring, late summer and early faJl. In 1861, I included 
the Wood Ibis in my list of birdsof probable occurrence on the authority 
of Mr. Kirkpatrick, of Cleveland, who informed me that it had “ perhaps 
been shot in Southern Ohio.” Dr. Coues, in his Key, gives its range 
** North to Ohio and the Carolinas,” apparently ignorant of the fact that 
