Tringa autumnalis Linnæus in Hasselquist, Reise Palæstina
(1762), 306.
Plegadis falcinellus Oates, Bds. Brit. Burmah (1883), 2,
271; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1898), 26, 29; Hand-List
(1899), 1, 187; Oates, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1902), 2, 102; Mearns,
Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. (1905), 18, 89; McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 31.
Mindanao (Mearns). China, Africa, Jamaica, Australia, eastern
United States, southern Europe to India.
"Adult.--Above black, with varying glossy reflections, either
bronzy purple or green; upper mantle deep maroon-chestnut, as also
lesser wing-coverts and scapulars, the latter having bronzy tips;
median and greater coverts duller and more oily green with bronze or
steel-green reflections; alula, primary-coverts, and quills entirely
glossy green, secondaries with purplish reflections; lower back, rump,
upper tail-coverts, and tail all black, with various reflections of
purple and oily or bronzy green; head and neck all round, as well as
under surface of body deep maroon-chestnut, somewhat lighter on the
chest and breast; forehead and fore part of crown glossy green, as
also base of cheeks and a slight shade below eye; under tail-coverts,
under wing-coverts, and axillars black, with metallic reflections
of green and purple, the quill-lining being similarly glossed. 'Bill
and feet dark brownish olive, iris brown.' (Guillemard.) Length, 558;
culmen, 132; wing, 284; tail, 99; tarsus, 107.
"Female.--Similar to the male in plumage, but smaller in size and
with a somewhat smaller bill.
"The winter plumage would appear to be adopted after the bird has left
for its winter quarters, as a male killed in Celebes on August 20 is
still in full red plumage. The winter plumage of the adults appears
to consist in the entire loss of the chestnut plumage of the head,
back, and scapulars; the rest of the plumage remains metallic with
the same varying shades of green and purple, but the wings are rather
more bronzy and the wing-coverts brighter metallic green. The head
and neck are entirely streaked with black and whitish, and in the
spring the red feathers of the summer plumage are gained by a molt.
"Young birds are similar to the winter plumage of the adult, but are
more of a metallic oil-green, without the beautiful shades which
distinguish the adults at all seasons. The head is dusky brown,
with a certain amount of white striping on the head and throat,
but not so much as in the adult winter plumage." (Sharpe.)
Although the only authentic record of the occurrence of the glossy
ibis in the Philippine Islands is that made by Mearns, there is every
reason to look for it in Luzon and other of the larger islands.
Family PLATALEIDÆ.
Members of this family greatly resemble herons but differ in having
the bill flattened and spatulate, the tip blunt and rounded; from
each of the nostrils there is a groove which extends parallel to the
edge of the mandible and meets the opposite groove at tip of bill.
Genus PLATALEA Linnæus, 1766.
Character same as those given for the Family.