the notice of the late Mr. Wilson, author of the American Ornithology. This gentleman has noticed only three species of the genus Tantalus, viz. Tantalus Loculator, or Wood Ibis; T. ruber, or scarlet Ibis; and T. albus, or white Ibis. I think it highly probable that the two last birds are really one and the same species.
I am fully sensible how imperfect are these notices: but I have not hitherto been able to obtain any thing more satisfactory on the subject, though I have for several years endeavoured, through the medium of my correspondents in the country of the Muscogulge, or Creek-Indians, to obtain a specimen of the bird. I have no doubt that I shall ultimately be successful in my researches. In this case, I shall not fail to communicate something much more satisfactory on the subject to the Linnæan Society, whose pursuits are at all times highly interesting to me.
I shall only further observe at present, that should the Crying Bird prove to be a new species of Tantalus (I mean a species not noticed by any systematic ornithologist), it may be well to call it Tantalus Ephouskyca. This, I have already observed, is its Indian name, the literal meaning of which has been mentioned. Ephous, or Ephaus, in the language of the Creek Indians, signifies a bird. — Nor will those who are well versed in the study of the oriental languages, fail to observe how close is the affinity between this word and the word for bird in the language of the ancient Chaldeans: I may add, even in the Hebrew. That this affinity is not accidental, will appear more probable from what I am now to state; that the Creek and other North-American languages contain many words that are most palpably derived from the Chaldaic, Hebrew, Persian, &c.[1]
There is no reason to believe that the Tantalus Ephouskyca has
- ↑ See my New Views, &c. Philadelphia, 1798.
