Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-08-25
THE GLOSSY IBIS,
A Rare bird Tint Visits Caiuornis
After An Absence OF Twent!-
Five Years

For the first time in 20 years--so the
poultry sellers say-the ibis has paidI
California visit. II is curious bird
and no one can account for the eccen'
tricities of its migrations. Its hab'
ltat is chiefly among the swamps, espe'
cially the forested swamps of Brazil
and Central America, for it is n tropica!
creature and loves the solitude of the
haunts of the blue heron, the pelican,
the flamingo and the egret. Once n year
1t gathers in great flocks and migrates.
Its course seems to depend more upon
its humor 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 desti'
nation is the swamps of Louisiana, and
here among the bayous and lagoons IL
can be found. And again, instead of Wis.
iting Louisiana or Florida, it may stop
in Mexico. Once it has been known to
descend in Massachusetts, where il was
found shivering 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 overflowed 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 ms the feeding
grounds of the ibis during its present
visit to the state. A few nights ago q
loud squawking and shrill cawing 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 vast number of these long-legged
red, cranelilxe 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 dozen or more
of the birds fell. This caused the big
flock to take wing, and, after ascend
ing TO considerable height, 1t sailet
gracefully around and then alighted il
the marsh again. The sport was KEEP
up all day. On the day following Their,
seemed to be no diminution of the mum
Der of the birds, and the slaughter wat
repeated. A leading game dealer esti
mates that at least 500 dozen hav,
reached the markets of San Francisco
They are being sold at 25 cents each
and the stuffed specimens are offered a
two dollars each.
| iutll htSu lldn NH' udi IA toloi VI z uii'
and fishy flavor, which measurabl,
disappears upon soaking in salt water
Otherwise there is very little difference
between the-tastc of its flesh and tina
of mallard duck. IL is in no sense
duck, however, though when forced i
will take to the water, and il can swim
gracefully, although not web-footed.
The ibis lays three light green eggs
about an inch and half long by TIVE
inches and half in circumference
They are very palatable. When boilec
the yolk is a reddish orange and tn,
white is liyer-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 ii 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 a few
months ago the most interesting littl
chestnut-colo-ed peewees peeping iron
the tops of their nests on the tangle,
banks of the Amazon in the swamp
jungles of South America, and neve
dreaming of their trip to California o
the fate which awaited them here
San Francisco Chronicle.