The Southern herald., 1899-08-18
THE GLOSSY IBIS
A Rare Bird That Visits California
After An Absence Of twenty
Five Years.

Five Years.
For the first time in 2j years--so the
pouItry sellers say-the ibis mas paLu
california a visit. II is a curious bird
and no one can account for the eeeen'
tricities of its migrations. Its hao-
itat is chiefly among the swamps, esPe-
ciaIly the forested swamps Of Brazil
and Central America. for il is tropiea-
creature and loves the solitude OF the
baunts of the blue heron, the pelican
the famingo and the egret. Once year
it gathers in great ioeks and migrates'
Its course seems to depend more upon
its bumor or the direction and velocity
Of the wind in the upper atmosphere
into which il ascends than upon any SET
habit or instinct. Sometimes its desu'
nation is the swamps of Louisiana, and
here among the bayous and lagoons II
can be found. And again, instead OF VS.
iting Louisiana or Florida, il may STOP
in Mexico. Once il has been known 10
descend in Massachusetts,, where il was
found shiyering in the springtime cold,
to the wonder of the country folk and
ornithologistS.
One very pronounced quality the ibis
has-and it was probably owing to this
weakness that there are now such birds
in the San Francisco market-it loves
to roam over recently overfowed lands.
The San Joaquin river has been of late
high. and its waters have spread over
territory which for many years prior
had been dry; hence, it is presumed
Los Banos and the sloughs thereabout
have been selected as the feeding
grounds of the ibis during its present
visit to the state. A few nights ago q
loud squawking and shrill eawing were
heard by the denizens Of Los Banos,
and many remarked that on the follow
ing morning the marshes would be
found filled with wild ducks.
A number of hunters were conse'
quently out early among the sedges. To
their surprise they did not find ducks,
but a vast number Of these long-legged-
red, cranelike creatures, which ran
gracefully and nimbly over the ground
and seemed to be intent on getting al
the earthworms which the late overflow
had brought to the surface. That they
were strangers to men and especially
to hunters was manifest from the fact
that they did not take alright when
the sportsmen descended on them, but
continued their quest for food. The
slaughter began and a dozen or more
of the birds fell. This caused the big
flock TO take wing, and, after ascend
ing TO a considerable height, it saileC
gracefully around and then alighted il
the marsh again. The sport was KEEP
up all day. On the day following there
seemed to be no diminution of the mum
Der of the birds, and the slaughter wal
repeated A leading game dealer esti
mates that at least 500 dozen hay'
reached the markets of San Francisco
They are being sold at 25 cents each
and the stuffed specimens are offered a
two dollars each.
Their flesh has the dark color of gam,
and a fishy favor, which measurabl.
disappears upon soaking in salt water
Otherwise there is very little differenc,
between the taste of its flesh and tha
of a mallard duck II is in no sense
duck, however, though when forced j
will take TO the water, and ii can swim
gracefully, although not web-footed.
The ibis lays three light green eggs
about an inch and a half long by tw,
inches and half in circumference
They are very palatable. When boilet
the yolk is a reddish orange and th,
white is a liver-colored jelly. 1t lay
once year and matches its young in
nest constructed of roots and twig
built in the bushes. As soon as tn
young attains size and strength it start
its annual fight, and it is highly prob
able that some of the individuals whicl
are now appearing in potpies in Sal
Francisco restaurants were few
months ago the most interesting littl
chestnut-colo-ed peewees peeping from
the tops of their nests on the tangled
banks of the Amazon in the swamp,
iungles of South America, and neve
dreaming of their trip to California o
the fate which awaited them here
San Francisco Chronicle.