BUFF-BACKED EGRET. 477 



half longer than those in the middle. The wings when 

 folded are slightly longer than the tail. 



The bill is pale yellow, with the ridge light brown toward 

 the end. The plumage is white ; but the upper part of the 

 head, a portion of the back, and the fore part of the breast, 

 are tinged with cream-colour. 



Length to end of tail 20 inches ; bill along the ridge 2^, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 3^; wing from flexure 

 9-j^- ; tail 3-fe ; bare part of tibia 1^- ; tarsus 3^ ; first toe 

 1^, its claw -fi- ; second toe l-^, its clstw -fa ; third toe 2^, 

 its claw -j^ ; fourth toe 1\%, its claw ^-. 



Remarks. — The only specimen of this bird obtained in 

 Britain is a female, shot near Kingsbridge, in the end of 

 October, 1805, and presented to Montagu by Mr. Nicholas 

 Luscombe of that place. The description, taken from the 

 Supplement to the Ornithological Dictionary, is as follows: — 



The length is about twenty inches ; the bill two inches 

 long to the feathers on the forehead, and of an orange yellow ; 

 the lore and orbits the same ; irides pale yellow. The whole 

 plumage is snowy white, except the crown of the head, and 

 the upper part of the neck before, which are buff : legs three 

 inches and a half long, and one inch and a half bare space 

 above the knee ; these parts are nearly black with a tinge of 

 green ; the toes and claws are of the same colour, the middle 

 claw pectinated. 



On the back of the head the feathers are a trifle elongated, 

 but scarcely to be called a crest ; on the lower part of the 

 neck before, the feathers are more elongated, and though not 

 slender, hang detached over the upper part of the breast : the 

 tail when closed is in a slight degree forked, and so short as 

 to be entirely covered by the wings when folded. 



This elegant little species of Heron had been seen for 

 several days in the same field attending some cows, and 

 picking up insects, which were found in its stomach. It was 

 by no means shy, but suffered a bungling marksman to fire 

 twice before he could kill it. The situation where it was 

 shot was the southernmost promontory of Devon, very near 

 the coast, between the Start and the Prawl. 



