11.
BLACK I.
Description.
Peace.
p lu m a g e r e d d i lh w h i t e , m o l l in c l in in g t o r e d o n th e b a c k a n d
w in g s : q u i l l s a n d t a i l b l a c k : th e l e g s a r e lo n g , an d th e t h ig h s
b a r e f o r th r e e p a r t s o f th e i r l e n g t h ; th e c o lo u r o f th em r e d :
th e to e s u n i t e d a s f a r a s th e f i r f t j o i n t . Haffelquift a d d s , th a t th e
i r id e s a r e w h i t i fh , a n d th e e n d o f th e b i l l , a n d th e l e g s , b la c k :
a n d t h a t i t is f o u n d in Lower Egypt in g r e a t p le n t y , in p la c e s
j u f t f r e e d f r om th e in u n d a t io n s o f th e Nile. I t l i v e s o n frogs an d
in fe r s : fe e n in g a r d e n s , m o r n in g a n d e v e n in g , a n d fom e t im e s
in f o g r e a t p le n t y , th a t w h o l e palm-trees a r e c o v e r e d w i th t h e m :
w h e n a t r e f t th e y f i t q u i t e e r e f t , th e i r t a i l t o u c h in g th e l e g s .
T h i s a u th o r b e l ie v e s i t t o b e th e Ibis r e c o r d e d b y th e a n t ie n t s ■,
f i r f t , b e c a u f e i t is b o t h c om m o n as w e l l as p e c u l ia r t o E g y p t :
f e c o n d l y , a s i t e a t s Jerpents as w e l l a s o t h e r th in g s : a n d th i r d l y ,
b e c a u f e th e u r n s , w h i c h c o n t a in th e r em a in s o f em b a lm e d b i r d s ,
f o u n d in th e f e p u l c h r e s a lo n g w i t h th e mummies, fe em t o c o n t a in
fu c h a s a r e o f t h i s f i z e .
I fu fp e d t i t t o b e th e Emfeefy o r Ox Bird o f Shaw. H e d e f c r ib e s
i t a s w h o l l y w h i t e , e x c e p t th e b i l l a n d l e g s , w h ic h a r e o f a f in e
r e d : a n d fa y s i t fe e d s in th e m e a d o w s , w i t h c a t t l e : b u t t h e f le fh is
u n f a v o u r y , a n d f o o n c o r r u p t s .
L*Ibis, Brif. Orn. v. p. 347. 13.
■--------noir, Buf. Oif. viii. p. 17.
Ibis of Bellonius, Raii Syn. p. 98.— Will. Orn. p. 288« pi. 44.
R A T H E R le fs th a n the Curlew. B i l l r e d : th e f o r e p a r t o f
th e h e a d a n d b e h in d th e e y e s b a r e , a n d o f t h e fam e ' c o lo
u r : th e g e n e r a l c o lo u r o f th e p lu m a g e b l a c k : l e g s r e d .'
The.black Ibis, l i k e th e white, is an in h a b i ta n t o f Egypt, a n d
th e m o r e f t r id t l y f o , a s i t is n e v e r f o u n d o u t o f i t , n o n e b e in g
met
m e t w i t h , e x c e p t in th e n e ig h b o u r h o o d o f Damietta*. I t is b y
fom e f u p p o f e d t o b e th e fam e w i t h t h e w h i t e f p e c i e s ; w h i c h i t
p r o b a b l y m a y , i f w e a l lo w i t t o b e th e y o u n g o n e , a s f om e w h i t e
b i r d s a r e b l a c k b e f o r e t h e y c o m e t o m a t u r i t y o f p lu m a g e a u th
o r s h a v e h o w e v e r b e e n a b le t o h a n d u s d o w n fo l i t t l e c o n c e r n in
g i t , th a t w e f l ia l l p e r h a p s r em a in f o r a lo n g t im e , b e f o r e w e
a f e e r ta in th e c i r c u m f t a n c e .
Tantalus falcinellus, Lin. Syji. i. p. 241. 2,— Brun. 167.—Muller, N° 178.
— Scop. Ann. i. N° 131%— Kram. El. p. 350. 2.
Le Courly verd, Brif. Orn. v. p. 326. 4. pi. 27. fig. 2.— Buf. Oif. viii.
p. 29.
Courlis d’ltalie, Pi. Enl. 819.
Falcinellus, or Sithe-bill, Raii Syn. p. 103. A. 3.— Will. Orn. p. 295,.
pi. 54.
Bay Ibis, Jr£l. Zool. p. 460. A.
Lev. Mu/.
g I Z E o f o u r Curlew: l e n g t h o n e f o o t n in e in c h e s . B i l l n e a r
f o u r in c h e s lo n g , a n d b r o w n : f r o m th e b i l l , a l l r o u n d th e
e y e , b a r e , a n d d u f k y g r e e n : th e h e a d an d n e c k a r e c h e fn u t , v e r g in
g to b r o w n o n th e h e a d , w h e r e th e f e a th e r s h a v e p a l e e d g e s :
th e u p p e r p a r t s o f th e b o d y a r e g lo f l y g r e e n , a p p e a r in g b r o n z e d
in d i f f e r e n t l i g h t s : th e b r e a f t , b e l l y , a n d u n d e r p a r t s , a r e b r o w n ,
w i th a g lo f s o f g r e e n g o l d o n th e b r e a f t : q u i l l s a n d t a i l d a r k e r
th a n th e b a c k , a n d w i th v e r y l i t t l e g lo f s : l e g s d u i k y b l u e : b e tw
e e n e a c h t o e a fm a l l m em b r a n e a t th e b a fe .
* Circa Ptlufium tantum nigra eft, ceteris omnibus locis Candida.— Pliti.
x . 30.
4 Inftanced in the Egret, Red Hit, and many others.
CL
12,
BAYf.
Description.
VOL. III. T h i s