WOOD IBIS,
middle, convex towards the end, the sides sloping and rather flat at the
base, towards the end rounded, the edges overlapping, inflected, sharp
but strong, the tip decimate, narrow, rounded, with a notch on either
side. Nostrils basal, close to the ridge, direct, pervious, oblong ; no nasal
groove. Lower mandible curved towards the end, like the upper, its
angle rather wide, and having a bare dilatable membrane, the sides rather
flat and erect at the base, afterwards narrowed and with the back
rounded, the edges erect, sharp, with a groove externally for the insertion
of those of the upper mandible.
Head of ordinary size, short, compressed. Neck long. Body rather
slender, deeper than broad. Wings large. Feet very long, slender, like
those of the Herons. Tibia long, slender, bare for one-half of its length;
and with the long, compressed tarsus, covered all round with hexagonal
scales. Toes rather long and slender, the first smallest, the second next
in length, the third longest, the fourth intermediate between the second and
third, all covered above with numerous scutella, laterally with angular
scales, beneath flattened with soft margins, the anterior connected at the
base by pretty large webs, of which the outer is larger. Claws small,
rather compressed, rounded above, obtuse, the thin edge of that of the
third not serrated.
The head all round, and the hind neck half way down, destitute of
feathers, the skin wrinkled and covered with irregular scurfy scales. Plumage
in general rather loose, more so on the neck. Wings long, ample,
primaries strong, the third longest, second almost as long, fourth about
the same length as third, first considerably shorter, all curved, emarginate,
of twelve broad, rounded feathers.
Bill dusky yellowish-brown, the edges yellow. Sides of the head
dark bluish-purple, upper part of the head horn-colour or dull greyishyellow,
the rest of the bare skin of the same tint, many of the scales anteriorly
blue. Iris deep brown, at a distance seeming black. Tibia and
tarsus indigo-blue. Toes above black, on the lateral and hind toes, however,
many of the scutella bluish-grey; the webs pale yellowish fleshcolour
; claws black.
The general colour of the plumage is pure white with a tinge of yellow.
Alula, primary coverts, primary and secondary quills, excepting the inner,
and tail, black, with green and purplish-blue reflections, according to
the light in which they are viewed.
Length to end of tail 44£ inches, to end of claws 59h, to end of wings
WOOD IBIS. 135
4 6 | ; wing from flexure 18; tail 6 ; extent of wings 62; bill along the
back 9£, along the edge 9, its greatest depth 2\; bare part of tibia 6 ;
tarsus 9 ; middle toe 42
, its claw f. Weight 11 f lb.
T
2 The Female is precisely similar to the Male, differing merely in being
smaller. Its weight is 9 i lb.
The Young are dusky grey all over, the quills and tail brownishblack.
The head all covered with down, excepting just at the base of
the bill. After the first moult, the bare space extends over the head and
cheeks; the downy feathers of the hind head and neck are dusky ; the
general colour of the plumage is white, the quills and tail nearly as in
the adult, but with less gloss. A Male of this description shot in January
was in length 35 inches, its bill 7^, tarsus 7, middle toe 4, its
claw \ ; its weight 7 | lb.
When the Wood Ibis has caught a fish too large to be easily swallowed,
it shakes its head in a violent manner, as if to force its prey down or
drive it up again. In the latter case, it carries the fish to the shore, and
breaks it into pieces, which it then swallows.
This species has the subcutaneous cellular tissue highly developed,
especially along the breast, and the lower parts of the body, although not
by any means so much so as in the Brown Pelican. I have represented
a flock of these birds in the back ground, with the view of giving you an
idea of the swamps to which they usually resort. They are on the edge
of an alligator's hole, at their avocations. The trees, clad with dangling
mosses, afford evidence of the insalubrity of the atmosphere. You see
the alligators with their heads and backs above water, watching the motions
of the birds.
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