79 SPOONBILL A tall white wading bird recognized by its black spoon-shaped bill, yellow at the tip. It is seen in flocks on the margins of the larger jheels, sand-banks of large rivers, etc. When feeding it wades in shallow water with its neck stretched out and moves the half-immersed bill from side to side with a regular action. "It rises spirally to float aloft" (Cambridge Natural History), and is often seen "flying in single file in long white gleaming lines at a considerable height above the ground-moving-in a very regular and stately manner (Smythies). It is undoubtedly the दविदा (v.l. दाविदा) of the बाज संहिता –"आतिर्वाहसो afarà art", and the name is after the fa shape (a spoon) of its bill. The definition and synonymy given in this definite : बकजाति: दवितुण्डो दविक्रौञ्चश्व दविंदा । This makes it clear that the fag (lit. Spoon-bill) belongs to the tribe of Herons or Storks ("fa", corresponding almost exactly to ORDER "Herodiones" as accepted in the Fauna of Birtish India, Birds). The selection of the bird for the Wind-god is based on the bird's flight as already set forth above. A flock rising spirally aloft typyfies a tornado or wind-storm marked by an inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the centre carrying up with it leaves, sprays of grass, etc., while the straight flight in a line represents a regular breeze. Yet another name for the bird is बजाक • खजाका (fr. खज 'a churning stick and ‘a ladle, spoon') : खजाकः पक्षिणि ख्यातः खजाका दविरुच्यते-प्रणादिकपर्व टीका 1. 24.34, 2. 4.68. 3. verse 2106, खजाक: स्यात्पुंसि दघ्नो विकारे विहगान्तरे-पेरुसूरि प्रणादिक पदार्णव This name is justified in both senses of the word as the bird moves its bill both right and left like a churn and the bill also resembles a spoon. "eforqu सकुन" of the commentary on वेस्संतर जातक is no other than this bird although it has been mistaken there for me, the Black Ibis. 80 IBISES 1. Three different species of Ibis belonging to fa (Art. 79) are found in India. A long, slender and curved bill is common to all three but there are differences in body-feathering and colour of the plumage. They also differ in their habits. 2. i) The White Ibis is wholly white except for the skin of the head and neck which is bare and of a bluish-black colour. The young bird, however, has a feathered head and neck which becomes bald as it reaches the adult state. It is a bird of inland waters, like swamps, tanks and rivers and feeds principally on small fish, frogs, insects etc. Ordinarily it is a silent. bird but during the breeding season it has a remarkably loud booming call. The flesh of this bird is described as being "execrable" to cat. ii) The Black Ibis is a dark brown and black bird except for a con- spicuous white shoulder-patch and a bare black head ornamented with a triangular patch of brilliant red papillae with the apex at the crown and cut off square at the nape. Here again the head of the young is feathered. This Ibis is found more often in open country or dry culti- vation as fish does not form any part fits diet which consists chiefly of insects and most kinds of fallen grain, and it is only on occasion that it resorts to water for frogs. Unlike its white cousin and the Storks it is less inclined to rest and meditate, and is always on the move in search of food. Its call is a scream consisting of two or three notes. The important difference as regards habits between the White and the Black Ibises is that the former is always associated with water and finds its food along the water's edge and by wading in the shallows while the latter has to wander about a good deal on dry land and fields in search of its insect and grain food. This is the main reason why I cannot afford to "rest and meditate" like the other. Their names werfe (art and arceffer) and anfe (refer i.c. 'a wandering bird') respectively are based on their way of life just described. iii) The Glossy Ibis is distinguished by a permanently feathered head and the plumage is dark-brown and chestnut. It moves about locally in an extraordinary manner changing places as a breeding and non- breeding bird, but it is essentially a bird of the marshes and large masses of water and does not frequent cultivated fields and open meadows. This
