$Unique_ID{BRD00612}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Family XXXVII.--Tantaline.  Ibises}
$Subject{Tantalinae; Ibises}
$Journal{Birds of America:  Volume VI}
$Volume{Vol. 6:49}
$Family{Tantalinae}
$Genus{}
$Species{}
$Common_Name{Ibises}
$Log{}

       Portions copyright (c) Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

                       B I R D S   O F   A M E R I C A .

                    By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.

                   ------------------------------------------
                                   VOL.  VI.
                        --------------------------------


                      FAMILY XXXVII.--TANTALINAE.  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.  OEsophagus wide; stomach large, muscular, broadly
elliptical, with the epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestines
generally of moderate length and width, coeca very small; cloaca globular.
Trachea without inferior laryngeal muscles.