M. Sundevall on the Birds of Calcutta, 93 



? (d. 28 Febr.). Occiput caret pennis longis albis. Plumse dorsi 

 anterioris viridi-nitentes, laceraj longae : caudam attingentes. Super- 

 cilia et margo frontis alba. CoUum postice leviter canescens. Ros- 

 trum apice fuscum, basi, cum loris et orbitis olivaceo-flavescens. 

 Pedes virescenti-flavi. Iris sanguinea. Rostrum e fronte 70 millim. 

 Altit. 22. Ala 272, tarsus 65, digitus medius 64, cum ungue 76. 



This single specimen was procured from the Danish merchant 

 Berg at Serampore, the same day that he had shot it near a small 

 tank. I did not see this species living myself. It was consi- 

 dered rare, and was unknown to Berg, who was a keen sportsman. 

 The stomach was empty, but smelt strongly of fish. Ardea nyc- 

 ticorax is one of the birds which is found all over the globe, in 

 the entire torrid zone and in a considerable part of the temperate 

 ones. 



77. Ardea scapularis, 111., Licht. ; Wagl. Syst. no. 35. Plumis 

 colli elongatis, tibia brevissime nuda, rostro capite longiore. Adulta 

 cinerea ; alis virescentibus, albo-marginatis. Capillitio seneo-nigro, 

 crista dependente ; dorsi plumis longis, lanceolatis, obscure cinereis, 

 virescenti nitidis, rhachide albida. 



$ (d. 20 Febr. — adulta). Corpus cinereum. Collum totum cum 

 jugulo immaculato, cinereum, unicolor ; gula alba. Capitis latera 

 cinerea, macula oblonga atra pone angulum oris, et vitta alba sub 

 eodem. Rostrum et facies olivacea, maxilla inferior! et orbita flavi- 

 dis. Pedes (in siccata) obscure rubicundi. Rostrum e fronte 65 

 mill., cum cranio 115. Ala 170, cauda 60, tibia nuda 12, tarsus 42, 

 digitus medius 40, cum ungue 48. DilFert ab indiv. americanis, quae 

 vidi, et a descriptione Wagleri jugulo non rufo maculato, magnitu- 

 dine paullo majori, et rostro crassiori. 



This small Heron, which is one of the least in the genus, not 

 much larger than a double snipe, was only seen twice, at some 

 tanks near Serampore. Like the larger species it is lazy, but shy 

 and wary, and often perches in trees. The specimen obtained 

 had the stomach empty, and smelling strongly of fish. The same 

 species occurs also in South America*. 



78. Ardea speciosa, Horsf., Wagl. Syst.no. 25. Plumis colli elon- 

 gatis, tibia brevius nuda. Rostrum tenue, capite longius. Alba, 

 capite laevi dorsoque plumis laceris, prolixis, obscuris. 



(^ $ (junior }) Febr. Martio. Corpus alse et cauda alba, capite 

 colloque plumis testaceis, late fusco-marginatis. Gula alba. Plumae 

 dorsi antici lacerse ; magnse,fusco-grise8e. Scapulares ejusdem coloris, 

 striola media albida. Plumae immixtse, sericeo lacerae, fusco-purpu- 

 rascentes. Plumse occipitis nuUae elongatae. Iris flavissima. Rostrum 

 apice nigrum, basi et facie nuda flavescentibus. Pedes fuscescentes. 

 Rostrum e fronte 62 millim., tarsus 53, digitus medius 53, cum un- 

 gue 62, ala 220. 



* This is incorrect, the American species being distinct. — H. E. S. 



