The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-08-10
The GLOSSY IBT
Rare Bird That Visits IIifornia
After An Absence of II enty-
Five Years.

For the first time in 25 years-so the
poultry sellers say-the ibis has paid
california a visit. 1t is a curious bird,
and no one can account for the eccen-
tricities of its migrations. Its hab-
itat is chiefly among the swamps, espe-
cially the forested swamps of Brazil
and Central America, for it is tropical
creature and loves the solitude of the
haunts of the blue heron, the pelican,
the tiamingo and the egret. ONCE year
it 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 it assends than upon any set
habit or instinct. Sometimes it's desti-
nation is thu swamps of Louisiana, and
here among the bayous and hgoons it
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 it 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 rs SaI. 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 a
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 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 at
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 Il considerable height, it sailed
gracefully around and then alighted in
the marsh again. The sport was kept
up all day. On the day following there
seemed to be no diminution of the num-
Der of the birds, and the slaughter was
repeated. A leading game dealer esti-
mates that at least 500 dozen have
reached the markets of San Francisco.
They are being sold at 25 cents each,
and the stuffed specimens are offered at
two dollars each.
Their flesh has the dark color of game
and a ishy flavor, which measurably
disfsopears upon soaking in salt water
Otherwise there is very little difference
between the taste of its flesh and that
of a mallard duck. 1t is in no sense a
duck, however, though when forced it
will take to the water, and it can swim
gracefully, although not web-footed.
The ibis lays three light green eggs,
about an inch and a half long by two
inches and half in circumference.
They are very palatable. When boiled
the yolk is reddish orange and the
white is a liver-colored Jelly. 1t LAYS
once year and matches its young in a
nest constructed of roots and twigs
built in the bushes. As soon as the
young attains size and strength it starts
its annual fight, and it is highly prob
able that some of the individuals which
are now appearing in potpies in San
Francisco restaurants We're a few
months ago the most interesting little
chestnut-colored peewees peeping from
the tops of their nests on the tangled
banks of the Amazon in the swampv
jungles of South America. and never
dreaming of their trip to California or
the fate which awaited them here
San Francisco Chronicle.