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Show 1877.] MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE IBIDINSE. 499 and seek the nearest watercourse. When flying they frequently make eccentric evolutions, the entire flock descending wi'th great rapidity, each individual wheeling about in a zig-zag course. In this manner they go on for some time, screaming loudly all the while. Their flight is swift and easy, and on the arrival of spring they depart for the south, making their summer resort probably in the northern part of Patagonia. This Ibis was observed, however, in the Straits of Magellan by Dr. Cunningham in various localities during the months of December, January, and February. It was shy and wary, flying in flocks of from four to eight, and had a cry resembling qua-qua, qua-qua. It was found rather good eating. In a female he procured he found the sternum had a very deep keel, and the scapulae were broad. The portion of the trachea below the insertion of the sterno-tracheal muscles, though presenting no striking peculiarity of form, had the bony rings ankylosed so as to form an immovable tube. The stomach was crammed with worms and large larvse. An egg obtained at Elizabeth Island was 2*71 X 1*86. " Dull surface, of a pale greenish white, with engrained blotches (mostly small) of neutral tint, and some few blotches, spots and specks of deep dull brown ; towards the larger end some hair-like streaks of a lighter shade of the same, and so far having an Ibidine or Plataleine character ; but at first sight the egg looks as if it might have been laid by an exhausted Gull." This resembles the egg described by Mr. Darwin (I. ci). This species is known generally to ornithologists as Ibis (Theristicus) melanopis, the name given to it by Gmelin. This, however, is antedated by Boddaert, who conferred upon the Courly a col blanc de Cayenne of Buffon (I. ci) the appellation Scolopax! caudatus, which, having priority over all others, must be the one for the species to bear in future. Sides of throat, and lores bare, skin black ; top of head and lower part of neck in front reddish chestnut; neck white, a narrow line of feathers running up the centre of the throat to the chin ; back and wing greyish brown, with green reflections, feathers edged with light brown or whitish ; tertials and outer webs of secondaries for two thirds their basal length white, remainder dark green ; primaries dark green ; rump and upper tail-coverts light bronzy green ; tail dark bronze-green ; underparts brownish black with green reflections. Total length 33 inches; wing 16|, tail 9%, bill along culmen 7, tarsus 3£. 14. LOPHOTIBIS CRISTATA. Le Courtis huppe, Buff. Plan. Enlum. no. 841. Tantalus cristatus, Bodd. Tabl. Pl. Enl. Daub. (1783) p. 51; Gmel. Syst. Nat. (1788) vol. i. p. 652. sp. 13 ; Lath. Ind. Orn. (1790) vol. ii. p. 709. sp. 20. Ibis cristata, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat. (1817) vol. xvii. p. 19; id. Ency. Meth. (1823) torn. iii. p. 1148 ; Wagl. Syst. Av. (1827) sp. 13 ; Schleg. Mus. P.-Bas (1863) livr. 4. p. 6 ; id. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1866) p. 425 ; Schleg. & Poll. Recher. Faun. Madag. (1868) p. 127. 32* |