Part 125

Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius hudsonicus, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 97.

Hudsonian Curlew, Numenius hudsonicus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 283; v. v. p. 589.

359. 3. Numenius borealis, Lath. Esquimaux Curlew.

Plate CCVIII. Male and Female.

Bill half as long again as the head, slender, brownish-black, the lower mandible flesh-coloured at the base; upper part of head brownish-black, streaked with pale yellowish-brown, and having an indistinct central and two lateral lines of whitish; upper parts brownish-black, marked with numerous spots of light brownish-yellow, there being several along the margin of each feather; wing-coverts and secondaries of a lighter tint, similarly spotted; alula, primary quills, and coverts, dark brown, the shaft of the first quill white, of the rest brown; inner webs not barred as in N. Hudsonicus; tail barred with light greyish-brown and dark brown; sides of head and neck all round pale yellowish-grey, striped with dark brown; breast and sides greyish-yellow, with longitudinal and transverse dark markings; lower wing-coverts and tail-coverts similarly barred, axillars of a rufous buffy tint, regularly banded.

Male, 14-1/2, 27-3/8.

Passes in spring from Texas along the coast eastward to the Fur Countries, returning in autumn. Abundant at times in the Middle Atlantic Districts. Rarely seen in the interior. Breeds in the northern barren grounds.

Numenius borealis, Bonap. Syn. p. 314.

Numenius borealis, Esquimaux Curlew, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 378.

Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius borealis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 101.

Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius borealis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 69; v. v. p. 590.

FAMILY XXXVII. TANTALINÆ. IBISES.

Bill very long, arcuate, rather stout at the base, obtuse. Nostrils basal, linear or oblong. Head bare in front, rather large or of moderate size; neck long and slender; body ovate. Legs long and rather stout; tibia bare to a large extent; tarsus reticulate, sometimes scaly in front; toes four, articulated on the same level, the anterior webbed at the base, the first more slender. Claws arched, compressed, rather obtuse. Wings long and very broad, with the second quill longest. Tail short, of twelve feathers. Tongue triangular, extremely short, flat, and thin. Œsophagus wide; stomach large, muscular, broadly elliptical, with the epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestines generally of moderate length and width, cœca very small; cloaca globular. Trachea without inferior laryngeal muscles.

GENUS I. IBIS, Cuv. IBIS.

Bill very long, slender, higher than broad, compressed, tapering, arched, obtuse; upper mandible with the dorsal line arched in its whole length, the ridge convex, broader towards the end, the sides at the base erect, towards the end very convex and narrow, separated in their whole length from the ridge by a deep narrow groove, the edges inflected and sharp; lower mandible more slender, its angle very narrow, and protracted in the form of a groove to the tip. Nostrils basal, dorsal, linear. Head small, compressed, oblong, bare before the eyes; neck long and slender; body rather slender. Feet very long, slender; tarsi scutellate; anterior toes connected by membranes at the base. Claws rather small, slightly arched, pointed. Wings long, ample, with the second quill longest. Tail short, nearly even, of twelve feathers. Œsophagus wide, like that of a heron; stomach muscular.

360. 1. Ibis Falcinellus, Linn. Glossy Ibis.

Plate CCCLXXXVII.

Bill black, bare part of head greyish-blue, feet greyish-black; upper part and sides of head dark glossy green, with purplish reflections; neck, part of the back anteriorly, breast, abdomen, and tibiæ, deep rich brownish-red or dark chestnut; part of the breast shaded with green, the sides dusky, tinged with green, as are the lower wing-coverts and lower tail-coverts; except the anterior edge of the wing, and the anterior scapulars, which are deep brownish-red, the upper parts splendent dark green, glossed with purple; primaries black, shaded with green; tail glossy, with purple reflection. Young, in its second plumage, with the head, neck, and lower parts greyish-brown, the head and greater part of the neck marked with small longitudinal streaks of white, of which there are two on each feather; all the upper parts blackish-green, glossy in a less degree than those of the adult.

Male, 25, 42; wing, 11-1/4.

Rare or accidental in the Middle Atlantic Districts; more common in South Florida and Texas, where it breeds. Rarely seen far inland. Migratory.

Ibis Falcinellus, Bonap. Syn. p. 312.

Bay or Glossy Ibis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 88.

Glossy Ibis, Ibis Falcinellus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 608.

361. 2. Ibis rubra, Linn. Scarlet Ibis.

Plate CCCXCVII. Adult Male and Young.

Bill, feet, and bare parts of head, pale lake; plumage bright scarlet, excepting the quills, which are white, and the terminal portion of the outer four primaries, which are bluish-black. Young in first plumage with the bill and feet brownish-grey, the bare parts of the head pale flesh-colour; plumage of head, neck, and upper parts, brownish-grey, of lower, white.

Adult, 29; wing, 11-1/4.

Accidental. Three specimens seen by me in Louisiana.