PLEGADIS.
Bill long, sickle-shaped; nostrils slit-like; tibia half bare. Resemble Curlews in habits ; frequent marshes, lagoons, etc.; nest of flags and aquatic plants in marshes in colonies, on ground or on bushes; eggs 3, dark greenish blue.
Plegadis falcinellus falcinellus (L.). GLOSSY Isis. Fr. Ibis falcinelle ; Ger. Brauner Ibis ; Ital. Mignattaio ; S wed. Svart Ibis.
6 summer. Crown, face, wings, and back coppery green ; scapulars lilac ; lesser wing coverts and underparts claret brown. In winter head and neck brown, streaked with white ; under parts smoky brown. Bill, legs and feet dark olive brown. Iris
dark brown. Wing d' 290-306, ? 264-277. Tarsus 85-103.
Bill d 126-145: 100-120 (H.).
Brccds.—Spain (Marismas),. France (Camargue), Lower Danube, S. Russia (Lower Dniester and Volga), Caucasus, and widely in Asia, N. Africa and also in S.E. United States. Migrates ; visits N.W. Europe, including Britain, chiefly in autumn, has occurred north to Iceland. Winters tropical and S. Africa and Asia, and some in Sardinia, Tunisia and Palestine.