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Show 1877.J MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE IBIDINSE. 493 common than the Black-headed Ibis (I. melanocephala), and frequents open places together with the sandy shores of streams. They go in flocks, and feed chiefly on insects, as the stomach of one which was shot contained only heads, legs, and wing-cases of locusts ; that of another was full of large grasshoppers and a lizard, while a third contained the chrysalides of butterflies. This bird roosts in trees, and breeds in the months of February, March, April, May, and June, and lays three or four pale bluish-white eggs, slightly streaked and spotted with brown, 2^- in. in length by 1 ^ in. in width. Captain Beavan procured it in the Maunbhoom district at Makun, near Ambekanugger, and also saw it at Julpigoorie, where it was deemed very fair eating, and therefore often shot. Head and throat nude, skin black. A triangular patch of bright red papillae on the back of the head, reaching above the eyes. Neck and upper parts fuscous brown, with a bronze-green gloss on the back. Wings shining steel-blue. A conspicuous white patch on the inner lesser coverts. Tail steel-blue, not so dark as the wings, with green reflections. Lower parts fuscous brown, under tail-coverts bronze-green. Bill greenish lead-colour; iris dull orange-red ; legs and feet brick-red. Total length 30 inches; wing 18, tail 8, bill along culmen 6^, tarsus 3. 8. COMATIBIS COMATA. Ibis (Geronticus) comata, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. (1845) t. 45 ; Blanf. Zool. Abyss. (1870) p. 436. sp. 278. Geronticus comatus, G. R. Gray, Gen. B. (1847) vol. iii. p. 567. sp. 13; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. Vog. Nordost-Afr. (1855) p. 313. sp. 636; Tristr. Ibis (1860) p. 78. sp. 127; Gray Hand-1. (1871) pt. iii. p. 40. Comatibis comata, Reich. Nov. Syn. Av. (1851) pl. 291. figs. 2383, 2384 ; Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1857) vol. iii. p. 153. Ibis comata, Schleg. Mus. Pays.-B. (1863) livr. 4, p. 9 ; Heugl. Ornith. Nordost-Afr. (1873) Band ii. Abth. 2, p. 1144. Hab. North-east Africa, Abyssinia, Algeria. The Rev. H . B. Tristram met with this species in Algeria beyond Bou Guizoun, on the road to El Aghouat. lt appeared to prefer arid mountain-ranges, and consorted with the Raven and Falcon. Its food consisted of lizards and serpents; and it breeds in inacessible holes of precipices. A coarse egg of a deep blue colour, about the size of that of a common Heron, was shown to him as belonging to this species. It did not appear to be gregarious. The legs and feet are peculiarly coarse and rough, adapted rather for rocks and sand than mud and water. According to Blanford this species did not seem to be common in Abyssinia on the route traversed by him, as he only met with it twice, once near Senate, and again a large flock near Antale. Von Heuglin met with it in winter on the coast of Abyssinia, and in February in large flocks on the high plains of Woggara, together with the Bostrychia carunculata. It seems to breed there. Top, sides of head, and upper part of throat bare of feathers |