Histories

Winged serpents are said to fly from Arabian Peninsula [45,25] (region (general)), AsiaArabia at the beginning of spring, making for Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt; but the ibis birds encounter the invaders in this pass and kill them.

The Arabians say that the ibis is greatly honored by the Egyptians for this service, and the Egyptians give the same reason for honoring these birds.

Now this is the appearance of the ibis. It is all quite black, with the legs of a crane, and a beak sharply hooked, and is as big as a landrail. Such is the appearance of the ibis which fights with the serpents. Those that most associate with men (for there are two kinds of ibis[*](Geronticus Calvus and Ibis Aethiopica.) )

have the whole head and neck bare of feathers; their plumage is white, except the head and neck and wingtips and tail (these being quite black); the legs and beak of the bird are like those of the other ibis. The serpents are like water-snakes.

Their wings are not feathered but very like the wings of a bat.I have now said enough concerning creatures that are sacred.